North Texas Municipal Water District outlines multi‑decade supply plan and presses for stronger conservation

North Texas Municipal Water District officials told the Richardson City Council on June 16 that rapid regional growth and unpredictable reservoir supplies mean the district will pursue a broad portfolio of new water sources while expanding conservation programs.

The briefing, delivered by Janet Covington and staff including Billy George (water supply planning), Jean Chipperfield (chief financial officer) and Alex Johnson (conservation), laid out short‑ and long‑term projects the district says are needed to maintain supply reliability as demand grows. The district said members should expect costs and rates to rise because capital investment to expand pipelines, treatment and reuse facilities is the primary driver of higher bills.

Why this matters: Richardson is a member of the wholesale district and pays for raw water and regional services through its wholesale contract. The district’s plan affects the city’s water budget and rate forecasts; council members pressed staff for more detail on near‑term supply, conservation returns and timelines for contingency projects.

District priorities and projects - The district plans to devote “more than a billion dollars” to water infrastructure next year, Chipperfield said. Major near‑term projects named in the presentation include expansions at the Leonard Water Treatment Plant, pipelines to bring more Lake Texoma water to Leonard, a final plant expansion at the Wylie complex, a new raw water intake at Lake Lavon and the new Sister Grove regional water‑recovery facility intended to increase water reuse. - Longer‑term options under study include groundwater development, regional reuse partnerships, connection to Lake of the Pines supplies, desalination of Lake Texoma (50 million gallons per day capacity identified as a feasible backup), aquifer storage and recovery, and potential transfers from distant reservoirs. George said Lake Texoma desalination is a viable fallback because the district holds a permit for brine discharge; he estimated it would take about five years from start of engineering to come online. - The district is restarting its long‑range, scenario‑based water supply plan this fiscal year; it said the plan will re‑test assumptions on growth, drought risk and the cost and timing of each strategy.

Conservation and near‑term demand management - Alex Johnson said conservation remains a major supply tool. The district estimates regional conservation currently saves roughly 96 million gallons per day — “more than the firm yield of a (Lake) Bodark” — and projects larger conservation savings by mid‑century. - The district has launched pilots it described as near‑term actions: outreach and efficiency evaluations for homeowners associations, an irrigation evaluation pilot available to residents (Richardson was the first participating city), and the Water My Yard weekly watering advice program. District staff reported Richardson has completed 162 irrigation evaluations with a modeled minimum weekly savings of about 331,000 gallons (roughly 9.94 million gallons per year assuming a 30‑week watering season), noting not all suggested measures will be adopted.

Finance and rate impacts - Chipperfield described a 10‑year financial outlook for the district’s systems and said capital investment is the principal rate driver. She noted anticipated borrowing, use of the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) subsidized financing and an expectation the district will apply for TWDB funding to reduce lifetime interest costs. The district estimated these subsidized loans can save “about $115 million” over a loan life for projects where they are used. - District staff told council members that, even as Richardson lowers its required wholesale minimum purchases over an eight‑year transition, wholesale costs are expected to rise. A staff exchange noted Richardson’s water obligation methodology change will lower comparative cost for the city over the long run but not eliminate near‑term increases tied to capital and inflation.

Questions from council and district responses - Council members pressed on on‑site recycling/gray‑water approaches, groundwater development in East Texas, timing for Lake Texoma desalination and whether conservation incentives or rebates would be offered. District staff said reuse/constructed wetlands (including a 2,000‑acre constructed wetland project that returns treated water to Lavon Lake) is already in use and being expanded; the district will evaluate additional technologies in its water reuse master plan. - On groundwater, Billy George said East Texas aquifers contain substantial volume but stressed the need for data, local agreements and groundwater district mitigation to address impacts to existing wells; he argued win‑win, regional partnerships are possible. On desalination, staff said preliminary permitting work is already complete and the limiting factor is timing and when construction would be prudent.

What the district asked of members - District leaders asked member cities to stay engaged in planning and, when needed, participate in regional projects and advocacy to secure supplies and funding. They reiterated that conservation, together with a diverse portfolio of supplies, is the most cost‑effective path to meet future demand.

Outlook and next steps - The district will complete its long‑range supply plan refresh, continue engineering on near‑term projects and pursue state financing where feasible. Council members asked district staff to return with more detailed short‑term timelines, a clearer picture of wastewater planning that affects regional reuse, and quantification of return‑on‑investment for conservation programs and leak‑detection reductions.

Ending note: City and district staff agreed to continue coordination as Richardson moves into its own budget work this summer; the district said it will provide more granular financial and operational data to help the city evaluate rate and budget impacts.