By Chris Shadrock
As the Lone Star State and our community continue to grow, the City of Boerne is always working to ensure Boerne Utilities is prepared for decades to come with adequate water availability.
Boerne is located in what has been dubbed the “Texas Triangle,” an area that incorporates the state’s largest cities – Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Nearly 72 percent of the state’s entire population of 30 million lives within the triangle, which accounts for just 22 percent of the state’s overall land mass.
In the City’s 2023 citizen survey, 56 percent of respondents emphasized the need for the City to do more to plan for the future as it relates to water and enhance our conservation efforts.
“With the response we received from the Citizen Survey, we want to ensure our residents that their feedback has not gone unnoticed,” City Manager Ben Thatcher said. “It is crucial that our citizens are able to engage directly and be heard by City staff and elected officials.”
To further plan and prepare for Boerne’s water needs, the City and Boerne Utilities have:
- City Council adopted a resolution to pursue One Water initiatives
- Launched a water conservation rebate program with three rebate opportunities
- Expanded the residential reclaimed water system
- Launched Boerne Water Dashboard
- Updated and strengthened water restrictions, begun citing water wasters, and increased public education efforts
One Water
Boerne City Council adopted a resolution in 2023 to pursue One Water initiatives. One Water is an intentionally integrated approach to the stewardship and management of all water – drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, reclaimed water – as a single resource.
One Water emphasizes the interconnection of all water types across regions and watersheds to encourage sustainable and environmentally conscious policy and decision making.
Since the resolution was adopted, the City has co-hosted One Water conferences with neighboring municipalities and organizations like the Hill Country Alliance and the Cibolo Center for Conservation.
RELATED: City staff speak on One Water panel with Hill Country Alliance, Cibolo Center
Water Rebate Program
In June 2024, Boerne Utilities introduced three new rebates available to water customers to help reduce monthly bills by incentivizing water conservation.
Customers can cash in on rebates for installing rainwater harvesting storage tanks, installing a rain/freeze sensor or their irrigation system, or by having an irrigation system consultation completed by a licensed professional.
Reclaimed Water
Boerne Utilities operates one of the largest reclaimed water systems in the country, which recycles wastewater and reuses it for outdoor irrigation. Currently, Boerne Utilities’ reclaimed water system serves about 1,000 customers, greatly reducing the amount of potable water use for landscape irrigation.
Boerne Utilities continues to install reclaimed water lines, known as purple pipe, to new homes being built in its service areas along Highway 46 East. The City is installing an additional reclaimed water tank and pump at the Wastewater Treatment and Recycling Center (WWTRC) on Old San Antonio Road as part of a larger expansion of the facility to increase the use of reclaimed water. At full build-out, the system will serve nearly 4,700 homes within the Boerne Utilities service territory.
Water Dashboard
In early 2023, the City launched the Boerne Water Dashboard – an online database that provides water-related information to the public. The project ties into the broader effort from the Internet of Water Coalition, which partners with local, state, and federal governments to build a foundational water data infrastructure across the country.
The Water Dashboard brings together information on water sources, demand, rain, drought, reclaimed water, and more. You can see water usage over time and even see rainfall totals from reporting points in and around Boerne.
The dashboard was created to support water management decisions by individuals, communities, and utilities to promote better stewardship of water resources and greater resilience during droughts or water supply challenges.
Looking Ahead
In 2021, as part of the City’s Water Committee, Boerne Utilities partnered with HDR to study future growth trends in our area and water availability. Utilities Director Mike Mann and HDR Senior Client Manager Darren Thompson presented their findings to City Council the following year, as well as possible solutions to help develop population and water demand projections until 2070.
“By collaborating with outside help and representation, we can deliver the highest quality service for our community,” Mann said. “As our population grows, so does our water usage, so we want to be sure we are capable of managing that properly and are prepared for the years to come.”
The demand projections Thompson presented to the City Council accounted for the use of potable water sources while also addressing the increasing use and need for reclaimed water over the years.
“There are no other cities the size of Boerne that have done a One Water Roadmap,” said Paula Jo Lemonds, associate vice president at HDR.
With these actions, the City is confident that residents perspectives are not only seen but applied to future planning as we take the necessary steps to provide proper care for our city for generations to come.
