As we contend with persistent drought conditions throughout the region, customers will often ask Texas Water Company what we’re doing to help conserve water. Just as we ask customers to be mindful of their water usage, and in compliance with the drought contingency plan, the team at Texas Water Company continually evaluates our usage and how we can do better. Our efforts go beyond just limiting water use. We’re implementing practices to reduce, recycle, and reuse water differently.
Collecting water where we can
Our team has installed rainwater harvesting cisterns at some of our facilities and will continue to install more cisterns throughout our facilities in Comal and Kendall counties. In addition to collecting rainwater, Texas Water Company is also evaluating collecting condensate from our HVAC units. While many homeowners with rain barrels use the collected water for outdoor watering, we’re evaluating reusing the collected rainwater and condensate for operating toilets and other appropriate uses. We anticipate being able to collect over 116,000 gallons of reclaimed water annually.
Recycling and reusing water
A 600-gallon water reclaim system at the Comal County Warehouse facility will allow us to reuse the water after washing trucks and equipment.
The system features a clarifier to remove oils, solids, and contaminants – creating water suitable for reuse and reducing overall consumption. By separating and removing sludge and heavy particulates, the system prevents the need for excessive water replenishment. The system will save an estimated 90,000 gallons of water per year.
Creating a drought-tolerant landscape
Native, drought-tolerant plants reduce the need for irrigation while still creating a vibrant, beautiful landscape. Fortunately, Texas has a wide variety of native plants suited for such landscaping. So, we are planning drought-tolerant landscaping at all our Campuses without installing irrigation systems.
Implementing efficiency systemwide
We will also be installing high-efficiency toilets/urinals and aerators on sinks and lavatory faucets to reduce water usage by up to 20%.
On-demand water heaters save energy and water
While many people associate on-demand water heaters with saving energy since they heat water as it’s being used rather than heating an entire storage tank for eventual use, on-demand water heaters also cut down on water usage.
With traditional tank water heaters, people often let the water run while waiting for warm water to come out of the tap, which wastes water. On-demand water heaters reduce water waste by
delivering hot water immediately, eliminating the need to wait for hot water from a tank to reach the tap. At Texas Water Company, we plan to use on-demand water heaters, to save water and energy.
A burden shared
We know, that limiting water use is challenging. It’s a shared challenge – among residents, neighbors, businesses, and your water utility. After all, a water company wants to provide customers with all the water you need and want, but drought conditions require us all to chip in to protect this precious resource.