Skip to main content

Texas Drought

The Texas drought began in October 2010, and lingers to this day. Large areas within the state continue to recover from what was considered extreme drought conditions, placing considerable strain on water supplies. Although a healthy period of rain occurred in 2013, a significant portion of the state is still experiencing exceptional drought, and reservoirs aren’t close to being filled. In response, government officials continue to place emphasis on conserving precious water resources.

Dramatic Rate Increases

Given tighter supply, water rates have climbed dramatically. Between 2011 and 2016, commercial water rates in Fort Worth, for instance, have increased 43% for those using more than 200,000 gallons per month, and sewer rates increased 34%. For businesses using less than 50,000 gallons per month, it’s even more dramatic. From 2011 to 2016, Austin, for instance, raised water rates 74%. The story of rapidly rising costs is similar in most Texas cities.

What Can an Organization Do to Lower Their Water Usage?

Smarter Irrigation Can HelpCheck out 101 tips for lowering your water use.

Landscape irrigation is one of the largest uses of water by commercial entities. Planting more drought-tolerant plants can help lessen the amount of water you use. Most landscape is overwatered, so with more accurate watering – giving landscape only the water it needs and no more – you can make a huge difference in your overall usage. Deploying a weather-based irrigation system like HydroPoint WeatherTRAK can not only save you money, but free up maintenance resources, improve the health of your landscape and even lower your risk of liability from slip and fall incidents.

Carefully Monitor Water Use to Eliminate Surprises

With a leak and flow monitoring solution such as HydroPoint WaterCompass, you’ll  get visibility into your true water usage, both indoors and out. Think of it like insurance against potential water problems – leaks, burst pipes, water theft and anomalous use.

Drought Resources