Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes presented a proclamation declaring Oct. 16, 2025, as "Imagine a Day Without Water" in Austin and called for action on equitable water access.

The proclamation, read during a short city event, noted that Austin’s water system "delivers clean drinking water to over a million residents and businesses" and affirmed the city’s commitment to investing in sustainable, equitable water infrastructure. Fuentes, who represents District 2 on Austin City Council, said the day is a "powerful reminder" of the risks communities face without reliable water service.

Carmen Yanes, executive director of Go Austin Vamos Austin (GAVA), accepted the proclamation on behalf of the organization and stressed that water equity includes access, water quality and affordability. "That's water access, water quality, water affordability," Yanes said, urging accountability as Austin grows and faces more impervious cover and development.

Yanes warned about private extraction and commercial water use, saying the city and residents must "look at what we're doing to conserve, to capture, and to ensure access." She introduced Francis Acuna, GAVA’s lead climate resilience organizer, who urged residents to "be conscious of how we are spending the water at home" and to help spread awareness. Acuna noted that low-income communities and areas with limited access will be most affected by shortages.

Randy Jenkins, deputy director of Austin Water, gave closing remarks outlining the utility’s planning and customer-support efforts. Jenkins said Austin Water is guided by its Long Term Water Forward plan and is working to "plan for every Austin family, every neighborhood, every business" for the long term. He listed ongoing work to upgrade aging infrastructure, expand recycled-water systems and on-site reuse, offer rebates and smart-watering tools, and run a customer assistance program that provides bill support and plumbing repairs.

Jenkins encouraged residents to sign up for the city’s myATX water portal to receive timely notices and said the utility aims to ensure "no one in our community ever experiences a day without water." The event closed with brief thanks and a group photo.

The proclamation designates Oct. 16, 2025, as the national day of action in Austin; organizers and Austin Water framed the observance as both an awareness campaign and an occasion to push for continued investment and equity in water services.