Preparing for the Future—The Importance of Long-Range Water Planning

By R.J. Muraski 

The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) provides wholesale treated water to more than two million people in some of the fastest-growing counties in the country. As our region continues to welcome new businesses and industries and the people who make them successful, the demand for water increases.  

The District has the water supply and operational capacity to provide more than 400 million gallons per day (MGD) of safe, reliable water to every home and business served by its Member Cities and Customers. By the year 2080, the population is expected to nearly double, and so will the demand for water. Simply put, new people are coming to our region, and they aren’t bringing water with them. 

We use long-range water supply planning to prepare for future water needs.  Working from growth projections shared by our Member Cities and Customers, our planners create expected, low and high-growth scenarios. We compare the projections with data from a drought-of-record to estimate the minimum MGD required to provide water in a high-growth, high-demand scenario in dry years. Based on the scenario, we develop water management strategies. 

Today’s reservoirs and other water sources will not provide adequate water for the region’s expected demand in the decades to come. Some of the effects would be easy to see, like repeated boil water notices, water rationing, higher water bills, or in extreme cases, impacts to emergency service operations like firefighting and hospitals. Other effects could be less obvious but equally damaging. Water supply uncertainty will slow economic growth and could cost jobs as businesses move on to greener pastures. To mitigate this risk, planners develop water management strategies. 

The fact is: any raw water source that’s easy or inexpensive to use is already being used, and many issues can disrupt a large water supply effort. So, we simultaneously pursue near, medium and long-term water management strategies to address water needs.  

We assess each of the approximately 25 strategies in the long-range water supply plan to determine its feasibility, the time and cost required for implementation, and the potential water supply returned.  

However, even near-term projects can take years to implement due to permitting and funding requirements and time to construct the necessary infrastructure. Medium-to-long-term projects take even longer. Bois d’Arc Lake took nearly 25 to 30 years from concept to filling it with water and then delivering and treating that water.  

Our water management strategies follow a three-pronged approach: conservation, reuse, and new water sources. Since its inception in 1951, the District has used a stewardship-centered philosophy to guide decision-making, leading to innovative water conservation and reuse methods.  

We also engage in regular public outreach and education and partner with other water districts and cities to stress the importance of using water wisely. At the same time, we keep an eye on the future to secure new water sources. 

The water we enjoy today is a product of long-range water supply planning conducted decades ago. The plans we make now determine how much water our grandchildren will have and the health of the region they will live in. 

Read more about how we plan for the future of our water needs.