Highlights from TCA Comments on Draft State Water Plan
- Jul 1
- 2 min read
In late May, TCA submitted lengthy comments to the Texas Water Development Board regarding the Draft 2027 State Water Plan. Below are excerpts that highlight TCA’s comments:
TCA commends TWDB for its continued emphasis on conservation and reuse, which must remain cornerstone strategies in all future versions of the Plan if water providers are to maintain adequate water supplies for Texas’ future.
The greatest flaw in the Draft 2027 State Water Plan is its continued reliance on large surface water reservoir projects, which increase evaporation of our water resources, cause serious economic and social harm to local communities, and destroy land-based resources needed for agriculture, forestry, and wildlife.
Typical Texans reading the dramatic rhetoric of [the draft 2027 State Water Plan] picture the day when they turn on the tap and nothing comes out, so they dutifully go to the polls and vote to finance whatever water projects are recommended. But the situation is not as grim as Texans have been led to believe.
When the projections of future water demand are made without inflating the projected population, with an accurate counting of current water supply, with a reasonable future per capita water use projections, and no speculative industries, it is clear that Lake Ringgold is not needed and should not be a Recommended Water Management Strategy in the State Water Plan.
Despite projections of future shortages, Region C (DFW Metroplex) residents use substantially more water per person than the statewide average, and an analysis of the region's population projections, water supply, and water use patterns suggests it already has adequate water supplies for the foreseeable future if conservation remains a priority.
Texas Conservation Alliance strongly emphasizes the importance of protecting and maintaining adequate freshwater inflows into Texas bays and estuaries as a critical component of responsible statewide water planning.
