The Lone Star State

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San Antonio, Texas - The Aquifer's Last Stand

San Antonio's water crisis reflects a broader Texas emergency that has officials scrambling to prevent a statewide catastrophe. Another major source is the Edwards Aquifer, which provides drinking water to San Antonio and the surrounding Hill Country.

The city's dependence on this single aquifer system makes it particularly vulnerable to the extended drought conditions that have become increasingly common. The drought also raises the prospect that the Rio Grande will be unable to supply the necessary water to Santa Fe and Albuquerque residents and force these cities to switch to their backup wells.

San Antonio faces similar pressures, with backup water sources becoming increasingly important as primary supplies dwindle. The city has become a leader in water conservation, but the fundamental challenge remains: growing demand in a shrinking supply environment.

However, San Antonio has taken aggressive steps to address its water security. San Antonio stores excess Edwards Aquifer water in a certain site within the Carrizo Aquifer during wet periods, then recovers it during droughts.

This method reduces evaporation losses compared to above-ground reservoirs and provides a reliable emergency water supply. Despite these innovations, the city remains vulnerable to the broader water crisis affecting all of Texas.

El Paso, Texas - Where the Rio Grande Runs Sand

El Paso's water situation represents one of the most extreme examples of water scarcity in America. Sitting in the Chihuahuan Desert and receiving only about 9 inches of rain annually, El Paso, Texas, is particularly vulnerable.

The city of nearly 700,000 gets its drinking water from the Rio Grande, now called the Rio Sand in places. This stark nickname captures the severity of the situation facing this border city.

The city's water crisis is exacerbated by its location at the end of a long supply chain. The river saw historic lows in 2018.

Snowfall this winter has helped, but that water has to run from Colorado through New Mexico before it reaches El Paso. This dependency on upstream water sources makes El Paso particularly vulnerable to regional drought conditions.

Yet El Paso has emerged as a leader in water innovation out of necessity. El Paso is leading the way with its Pure Water Center facility, which recently started construction.

It will purify already treated wastewater for people to drink and deliver 10 million gallons daily. When it's operating in 2028, it will be the first direct-to-distribution reuse facility in the country.

This groundbreaking project represents the kind of desperate innovation required when traditional water sources fail.

Austin, Texas - The Live Music Capital's Silent Crisis

Austin's water crisis reflects the broader challenges facing rapidly growing Texas cities. For example, Lake Travis — the largest reservoir supplying Austin — was only 38% full in January 2024, down from 80% full in January 2022.

This dramatic decline in just two years illustrates how quickly water security can deteriorate in drought conditions. The counties with the most reported restrictions since 2011 are concentrated around Houston, Austin, Dallas–Fort Worth and the Rio Grande Valley.

Austin has been forced to implement increasingly strict water use restrictions, particularly targeting lawn irrigation and outdoor water use. These measures represent a fundamental shift in how the city manages its water resources.

The situation in Austin is particularly concerning because of the city's rapid growth. About 1,000 people arrive in Texas every day.

The state's population is expected to double by 2050 to more than 50 million people, according to the Associated Press. This population boom places enormous strain on water infrastructure that was never designed to handle such rapid expansion.

Austin's water managers are racing against time to develop new sources before the current systems reach their breaking point.

Houston, Texas - The Bayou City's Infrastructure Nightmare

Houston faces a dual crisis of aging infrastructure and increasing demand that threatens the water security of America's fourth-largest city. Reliable access to clean water is essential for public health, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.

Without it, Houston risks losing its competitive edge as a hub for business and innovation. Developers and businesses are less likely to invest in areas where water reliability is in question, potentially slowing the region's economic growth.

The city's water problems extend beyond drought to include fundamental infrastructure failures. The state's aging water pipes are deteriorating, contributing to massive losses from leaks and breaks.

Houston's sprawling metropolitan area makes these infrastructure challenges even more complex, with water systems stretching across multiple counties and jurisdictions. Recent emergencies have highlighted the fragility of Houston's water systems.

Officials are warning more than 2 million people in the Houston area to boil their water before using it to cook, bathe and drink after a power outage at a water purification plant caused low water pressure. On Twitter, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city believes the water is safe, but a boil order was issued as a precaution because of the drop in water pressure.

These incidents reveal how quickly water security can collapse in major metropolitan areas.