As Texas’s population booms and the state grows hotter and drier, it’s more important than ever to understand: Who’s wasting our water? As climate change continues to shift eastward the dividing line between our nation’s arid plains and wetter climes, more of Texas will likely resemble the state’s desert regions in the coming decades. Cities will be forced to adapt to this new reality as they manage water resources. With only 9 inches of annual rainfall—compared with the statewide average of 27 inches—El Paso offers them a glimpse of the future.Until the late eighties, El Paso relied heavily on groundwater extracted from the Hueco Bolson aquifer. But after decades of overpumping caused water levels to plummet, municipal leaders changed course. Since the city implemented an aggressive…
The post El Paso Reuses Every Drop of Water It Can. The Rest of Texas Could Heed the Lesson. appeared first on Texas Monthly.
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