(a) 
The city intends to achieve long-term water conservation by maintaining a non-wasteful rate structure, reducing unaccounted-for-water, maintaining city water meters through testing and replacement, and providing education and information to all customers of the water system.
(b) 
Many of these measures have already been implemented and have shown signs of success, and the city realizes that the continuous and diligent adherence to these programs outlined in the water conservation plan is the most likely method for achieving the specific targets for reduced water consumption on a gallons-per-capita-per-day (GPCD) basis. The strategies and specific goals for water conservation outlined herein are in addition to any initiatives outlined in the current plan.
(Ordinance 1113.1 adopted 12/3/12; 2004 Code, sec. 13.831; Ordinance 1270 adopted 3/21/19; Ordinance 1377 adopted 4/16/2024)
One key element of water conservation is tracking water use and controlling losses. The city utilizes automatic meter read technology for all water meters or nearly 100% of its customers. AMR meters have not been installed at some connections due to customer preference. All metering devices have been shown to be calibrated to an accuracy of better than ±5% for accounting of consumption throughout the water distribution system. Master meters at well sites are tested annually and have shown accuracy of greater than 95%.
(Ordinance 1113.1 adopted 12/3/12; 2004 Code, sec. 13.832; Ordinance 1270 adopted 3/21/19; Ordinance 1377 adopted 4/16/2024)
Every contract for the wholesale sale of water by customers that is entered into, renewed, or extended after the adoption of this water conservation and drought contingency plan will include a requirement that the wholesale entity and any wholesale customers of that wholesale provider develop and implement a water conservation plan meeting the requirements of title 30, part 1, chapter 288, subchapter A, rule 288.2 of the Texas Administrative Code. The requirement will also extend to each successive wholesale customer in the resale of the water.
(Ordinance 1113.1 adopted 12/3/12; 2004 Code, sec. 13.833; Ordinance 1270 adopted 3/21/19; Ordinance 1377 adopted 4/16/2024)
(a) 
Due to the convenience of the city community geographical size, water leaks and breaks are generally immediately identified by both customers and city crews. City water distribution crew responds appropriately with equipment and material to control and fix water main breaks and failures. Generally, field indicators for finding leaks include customer complaints, random observations, and abnormal usage indicators through AMR system.
(b) 
City staff utilizes regular conservation topics distributed sometimes by bill inserts or social media posts to assist in community wide communication. City meter technician and code enforcement division provides field inspection services for illegal hookups, transient occupation of property and substandard plumbing installations. Regular water meter change-out and new service requests are cataloged and tracked in the city's billing database.
(Ordinance 1270 adopted 3/21/19; Ordinance 1377 adopted 4/16/2024)
(a) 
Water as a natural resource is vital to all life and species. In Texas, there is the phenomenon of drought that can severely affect availability of water resources. Two predominant primary sources exist for water supply throughout Texas and the southwest United States: groundwater and surface water impoundment, i.e., lakes and reservoirs. The city groundwater supply for drinking water is from the Hickory aquifer. Brady Lake, a flood control reservoir, and recreational use lake is available for surface water use. However, the city's water treatment facility is configured for groundwater use only.
(b) 
Texas Water Development Board and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality require political subdivisions or towns and cities to develop quantifiable and manageable 5-yr and 10-yr goals and targets for water savings and water loss control. Shown in Table 1 is the city's water consumption history for several years. From this is extrapolated a consumption figure based on the city's general population's GPCD. These figures represent 5-yr and 10-yr goals and targets. These types of metrics are used by TWDB and TCEQ for publications and tracking. It also serves as a benchmark for the city to track its historical pattern of usage.
TABLE 1yr and 10-yr GPCD
Year
Residential Consumption
Base Population
GPCD
2019
243,570,000
5,300
126
2020
251,505,000
5,300
130
2021
209,049,000
5,300
108
2022
264,122,000
5,300
137
2023
239,692,000
5,300
124
2028
225,739,950
5,300
117
2033
231,025,418
5,300
119
Note: 2028 GPCD derived from a 5% reduction on previous 3-yr averaging above and likewise for 2033.
(c) 
Utilizing the current dataset the following graph was derived.
(d) 
It can be reasonably inferred from the graph that a downward trend is evident.
(Ordinance 1270 adopted 3/21/19; Ordinance 1377 adopted 4/16/2024)