The plan assessed the future water needs for the city from 2025-2050, showing the city could see water shortages “within the next couple of years,” said Zach Stein, who presented a summary of the plan to Liberty Hill City Council.
Council voted to accept the city’s 2025 Water Master Plan at its Feb. 12 meeting.
The takeaway
Stein said current water demands are projected to increase by 12% per year for the next 10 years and then increase 16% per year through 2050, when ultimate buildout of the city’s current service area is expected to be completed.
Liberty Hill currently gets its water from four active groundwater wells pulling from the Trinity Aquifer, as well as from a contract for surface water from Lake Travis, according to the plan.
The water is treated by the City of Leander before being delivered to Liberty Hill’s distribution system.
Liberty Hill does not own a water treatment facility, according to the plan.
Dig deeper
Stein said Liberty Hill needed to up its water supply by a factor of five to meet the projected needs for 2050. To do that, he recommended the city:
- Implement additional conservation programs, including necessary outdoor watering restrictions
- Negotiate and execute interlocal, regional agreements to treat and deliver additional surface water supplies
- Continue development of the advanced water purification facility, aiming to have the facility constructed by 2035 or sooner if additional contracted surface water cannot be delivered
- Prepare to integrate new supply sources and serve growth areas in the city’s distribution system
- Continue pursuing potential partnerships with regional and public water supply entities or private entities to improve economic feasibility of alternative strategies
- Continue to pursue and participate in federal and state infrastructure funding programs
- Update the plan regularly to prepare for the future
