How and Why the NFBWA Promotes Water Reuse
Between 2020 and 2050 the population in our area is projected to nearly double, and demand for water will continue to increase. Even with more people consuming water. the Fort Bend Subsidence District has mandated that the area within the NFBWA’s boundaries convert 60% of total usage from groundwater to alternative water by 2025.
One source of alternative water is purifying and reusing the water that would typically go down the drain.
Much of the water that we use every day flows down our drains to wastewater treatment plants where it is treated to meet state and federal water quality standards. The treated water is then returned to lakes or streams. However, before we send that water back into the water cycle we can choose to reclaim, purify, and reuse it. Don’t worry, the treated water travels through a separate distribution system of purple pipe, and is only used for non-drinking purposes like irrigating common spaces, filling amenity lakes and fighting fires.
Many communities and Municipal Utility Districts within the NFBWA’s boundaries are currently using reuse water or planning to do so in the future. The NFBWA has an incentive program that offers MUDs a reduced water rate to help encourage use of reuse water. MUDs that participate in this program include Cinco MUD No. 1 (Cinco Ranch), Fort Bend County MUD No. 169 (Cross Creek Ranch), and Fort Bend County MUD No. 182 (Tamarron HOA). Since 2016, these three MUDs combined have utilized over 800,000,000 gallons of reuse water.