Austin City Council Adopts Historic Water Reuse Regulations
On Thursday, the Austin City Council unanimously and enthusiastically approved mandatory water reuse for most large new developments. The move, hailed as “historic,” includes an exemption provision for affordable housing to protect them from these requirements.
A New Lease on Water Conservation
The Council also forged an agreement with Travis County to provide reclaimed water connections for the Travis County courthouse, signifying a major step forward in collaborating with the county on similar projects going forward.
This historic decision also introduced a new fee of 15 cents for every thousand gallons of water used, ensuring some additional funding for Austin Water to expand the reclaimed water system further. The implementation of this fee is expected to increase the average customer’s bill by $1.47 a month.
The GoPurple Program
The new initiative, dubbed the “GoPurple Program,” will primarily affect large developments over 250,000 square feet. Projects of this size built within 500 feet of the city’s purple-pipe reclaimed water infrastructure are obligated to connect to it or install an on-site water reuse system.
The GoPurple program is projected to save a combined total of 16 million gallons of drinking water per day by 2040 through reclaimed water and on-site water reuse. The initiative also represents an industry-wide trend as confirmed by Council Member Alison Alter – purple is the industry-wide color for pipes carrying reclaimed water.
The Tradeoff – Cost versus Conservation
While the environmental benefits of the initiative are clear, the introduction of additional costs for consumers have also been acknowledged. Council Member, Alison Alter, called the vote to adopt the new reuse regulations “historic,” adding that the cost of the program would be “an investment in the future of our city.”
Despite the potential cost-related concerns, the City Council and supporting speakers agreed on the long-term benefits of the program. Bobby Levinski, speaking on behalf of the Save Our Springs Alliance, expressed his wish that the ordinance would apply to all new development, vertically integrating the conservation effort and making water supply more affordable for all Austin residents.
Enhancing Affordability and Accountability
Council Member Chito Vela proposed two amendments, with one aimed at ensuring properties for low-income Austinites would be exempt from the new regulations. His second amendment called for the city manager to report back in six months on the costs of the program, the amount of water saved, and how the city might fund a purple pipe program for low-income buildings.
A Sustainable Step Forward
Celebrating the initiative, Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Pool, who chairs the Council Water Oversight Committee, called the reuse program “a critical and really timely component of our Water Forward plan.” She also reiterated the need to balance the cost of implementation with the equally important conservation goals.
Indeed, the new regulations hold promise of a future where environmental conservation doesn’t come at the expense of society’s most vulnerable. As Austin takes a giant leap towards a sustainable community, the City Council’s actions serve as a stark reminder that when it comes to matters of urgency like water conservation, every drop counts.
