By Ken Kramer, Water Resources Chair, Lone Star Chapter, Sierra Club
What a difference a month makes! In late February the big news in Houston was the massive water main break that led to a tremendous drop in water pressure and a subsequent boil water notice while repairs were being done. While inconvenient and frustrating, that problem was short term and relatively easily fixed.
Now, as of the end of March (as The Water Column is being written), the Houston area is experiencing a much different challenge: Covid-19 and the disruption of peoples’ lives directly or indirectly by the virus. The impacts of this disruption are likely to be felt for at least weeks if not months or years, even if the curve for the spread of the virus is flattened by steps taken to reduce it.
However, in the midst of the current crisis, important work continues to assure the long- term well-being of the Houston region. One of the positive things about the Houston area is that while some key resources may be limited or unavailable right now, clean and adequate water is available for most people in the region (other than when a water main breaks!).
That does not mean that Houstonians have water to waste, of course – indeed now is a good time to practice conservation of all resources. After all, when that large water main broke, the value of being efficient with water became much clearer. In addition, with the projected population growth in the Houston area and the potential impacts of recurrent droughts, planning for future water supplies, including increasing water efficiency, is critical.
As discussed in last month’s Water Column, regional water planning for Harris County and 14 other counties in the region is an ongoing process, and the latest version of the “Region H” water plan is now available for public review and comment. The so-called “Initially Prepared Plan” or IPP (a draft plan) has been posted online in two volumes.
Volume 1 of the Region H IPP includes a 22-page Executive Summary and the body of the plan, which has chapters on population and water demand projections, water conservation, and drought management, among others. Volume 2 contains all 40+ appendices to the plan, with more specific figures for each “water user group” (such as the City of Houston and hundreds of others) in the region as well as background documents. Each of these files is a large pdf (Volume 1 is 326 pages in length, and Volume 2 has 1576 pages), but even with my slow “high-speed” internet connection, I was able to download both volumes in a matter of a few minutes.
For most people, perusing the Executive Summary and delving further into subjects of interest in the rest of Volume 1 or looking for specific information about their community in Volume 2 will suffice. In addition, the Houston Sierra Club will post an information sheet and a set of suggested comments on the Region H IPP on its website around mid-April or shortly thereafter.
The Region H Water Planning Group had scheduled three public hearings in the region to take public comment on the IPP but those hearings are going to be cancelled due to Covid-19 limitations on the size of public gatherings. Planning is underway about a “virtual” public hearing as a substitute for the in-person gatherings. As details are finalized, information will be posted on the Region H website and on the Houston Sierra Club website.
Written comments on the Region H water plan are being accepted through June 28 by email or postal mail. Information about where to submit those comments and how to request additional information regarding the Region H IPP are found at the end of the public notice available on the Region H website.
Please take advantage of this opportunity to learn about planning for the water future of the Houston region – and do so while staying “safe at home.”