Posts in WATER CONSERVATION
An Assessment of Water Conservation in Texas: Prepared for the 85th Texas Legislature as a supplement to the 2017 State Water Plan

This report provides an assessment of agricultural and municipal water conservation issues; conservation efforts by the Texas Water Development Board, the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, and municipalities receiving financial assistance; a discussion of future conservation needs; an analysis of programmatic approaches and funding for additional conservation efforts; an assessment of existing statutory authority changes and whether changes are needed to more effectively promote and fund conservation projects; and an assessment of the TWDB’s Agricultural Water Conservation Program.

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Impact of Water Efficiency Program Expenditure on the Texas Economy

The Texas case study considers the statewide economic impacts of $2 billion of investment in a broad range of
urban water conservation programs addressing indoor and outdoor water uses in the residential, commercial,
and industrial sectors, including programs to replace old, water-wasting toilets, programs to upgrade
inefficient landscape irrigation systems, programs to improve commercial kitchen water use efficiency,
programs to increase industrial process water use efficiency, and programs to reduce water losses within
water distribution networks.

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Local Response to Water Crisis: Explaining Var in Usage Restrictions During Drought

What explains local policy response to extreme events? This question takes on growing importance as climate change increases the frequency of droughts, floods, heat waves, wildfires, and severe storms. Emergency events like these often require local officials to make decisions that trade off short-term risk reduction against longer-term political costs. Policies that promote community-wide safety and resilience may face opposition because they restrict resource use or otherwise limit personal activities. Using data on the adoption of local water usage restrictions during the 2010–2013 Texas drought, we examine the balance between political and problem-driven incentives for local emergency response. We find that problem conditions and institutional capacity of water systems outweigh political interests in shaping the timing of policy response.

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Navigating the SWIFT Application Process: Water Conservation Projects

This document was created to provide insight and direction to water utilities seeking financial assistance for their water conservation projects under the Texas Water Development Board’s State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT).

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