Flores-Cale said she is concerned that the continuous approval of new developments and a lack of new water sources will have the city operating under a deficit.
“I see more water going out than water coming in,” Flores-Cale said.
Current situation
In its 2022 State Water Plan, the Texas Water Development Board, or TWDB, projected that Texas’ water supply will decrease by 18% by 2070, while water demand will increase by 9%. This means one-quarter of the state’s population would face municipal water shortages without additional supplies. The decline can be attributed to the depletion of aquifers, according to the plan.
In December 2023, the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District, or BSEACD, declared Stage 4 Exception Drought for the first time in the district’s 36 years due to a historic drought, according to previous reporting by Community Impact. BSEACD’s aquifers serve almost 100,000 people from South Austin to the southern parts of San Marcos, according to a news release.
“The downgrade in drought status is a painful reminder that our aquifers haven’t had the chance to recover since drought was declared in June 2022. It may get worse before it gets better, and it’s anyone’s guess as to when that might be,” District General Manager Tim Loftus said in the news release.
Zooming in
The city’s water providers supply an average of 6.47 million gallons per day. On an average day, that supply is “more than sufficient” to meet the city’s needs, Assistant City Manager Amber Schmeits said.
However, during the summer months, meeting demand becomes more challenging due to increased demand for outdoor irrigation amid an ongoing historical drought.
Kyle resident Stephanie McDonald noted the city had not lifted water restrictions through the fall, winter and spring months.
“While this crisis is ongoing, we continue to build like crazy. It’s time for a moratorium on building,” McDonald said at a May 7 City Council meeting.
But Water Utilities Director Mike Murphy said Kyle is being “very meticulous” with development.
Another point of view
Kyle’s 2023 Water Model Plan analyzed if available water sources would meet the maximum day demands of future housing developments, such as Anthem and Waterstone.
The plan considers Alliance Regional Water Authority’s, or ARWA’s, surface water connection and Waterstone’s delivery points from 2024 on. Demand projections include future development statuses for projects—except those in concept or review—which show an anticipated supply deficiency.
“Unless Kyle has any additional long-term sources, I’m not sure how the city will not be functioning at a deficit,” Flores-Cale said.
Kyle Mayor Travis Mitchell said he believes the water supply from the Carrizo-Wilcox Water Project and aquifer will be “stable” and “long-lasting.”
“We all get our water from the same place, and so Kyle is not in a fundamentally different position than San Marcos or Buda,” Mitchell said.
What's being done
To address these water supply challenges, the city is investing in additional storage facilities to improve supply management during those periods of high demand.
ARWA is wrapping up construction on the final pipeline—dubbed Segment C—of its Carrizo-Wilcox Water Project, which will increase the city’s water supply by 26.7%. The segment runs from a booster pump station in Maxwell and continues through San Marcos, Kyle and Buda. A second tranche, or portion of water, is anticipated to bring in 2.3 million gallons per day in 2027, Murphy said.
The city is also collaborating with multiple utilities and the Guadalupe Blanco River Authority to secure more flexible and sustainable water supply options, ensuring the community’s water needs will continue to be met, Schmeits added.
