By Anna Gitter
Across Texas, communities are facing water challenges that feel sudden and unexpected, but in reality, they are years in the making.
In Corpus Christi, prolonged drought and limited diversification of water supply sources has the community facing a potential future without enough water. In Pflugerville, infrastructure failures tied to a single waterline supplying water to a lake (and the city’s primary water source) triggered a disaster declaration and water shortage.
These situations underscore an important point: water resilience must be built over time, not as a response to a crisis.
Importantly, water resiliency is also shaped by governance.
We often describe water system management in terms of infrastructure and technology, yet how decisions are made — whether communities plan ahead or react under pressure – is just as important. That is where we, El Paso, stand apart.
As both a public health researcher with an expertise in water management and a member of El Paso Water’s Public Service Board, I directly see how governance influences decisions and outcomes that impact water every day. El Paso’s approach reflects a long-standing commitment to planning, expertise, and continuity — values embedded in the Public Service Board since its creation more than 70 years ago.
In 1952, following the drought of record and a water emergency, city leaders deliberately chose to move water management away from the uncertainty of short-term political cycles. The Public Service Board was established as an independent, expertise-driven body to guide long-term water planning.
Its members bring diverse backgrounds, including engineering, finance, business, and environmental and public health — ensuring that decisions are technically grounded and benefit the community. That model has proven effective.
Our region is defined by drought, limited rainfall and rising temperatures. To address this, El Paso has built a diversified and resilient water portfolio that includes groundwater, surface water from the Rio Grande, desalination and advanced water reuse. This diversification did not happen by accident, but rather through decades of planning and sustained investment.
El Paso has also distinguished itself through innovation. We are a leader in groundwater management, carefully monitoring aquifer levels and balancing use with recharge. Our Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant treats brackish groundwater for drinking water, showcasing a model for other inland communities. The Pure Water Center is a significant step forward in water reuse, using advanced purification processes to convert treated wastewater into high-quality drinking water. At a time when many communities are still debating the concept, El Paso is demonstrating that it can be done safely to expand local supply and secure water resiliency.
However, challenges still exist. Like many utilities, El Paso must address aging infrastructure and balance investments with affordability. But the focus on long-term supply has remained constant.
Water is public health and these decisions matter. Reliable water systems support not only community health and preparedness, but also economic stability. In my research, I examine how environmental exposures — including drinking water quality and access — affect health outcomes. Communities that plan ahead and invest in resilience are better positioned to protect both.
El Paso’s success is also rooted in a generational culture of conservation. Public education, incentive programs, and conservation policies have reinforced a shared understanding that water is scarce and must be used wisely. As a result, per capita water use has declined even as the population has grown.
As climatic conditions change and infrastructure needs intensify, more communities will face difficult decisions about their water future. El Paso offers a clear path: start with governance – conserve precious resources, diversify supply, invest in innovation, manage groundwater responsibly and build public trust.
For more than seven decades, El Paso has made the hard choices early, invested when it was not urgent, and built a culture that understands the true value of water. In a future where scarcity will define which communities thrive and which struggle, El Paso is not only prepared, it is setting the standard for strategic and resilient water management.
Anna Gitter is assistant professor with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health and a member of the Public Service Board.
The post Opinion: El Paso purposefully planned for a future with water appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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