August 2025 Newsletter

• August 31: Deadline to book a room at the discounted hotel rate.
• September 7: Deadline to register at the standard rate. Late registration rate is available starting September 8.

Our annual membership meeting will be held at the WRTX conference on Wednesday, September 17. The following board member elections will be held:

• WRTX Secretary: Dan Olson, Garver (returning)
• WRTX Utility Board Member: Mandi Siebels, City of Houston (returning)
• WRTX Non-Utility Board Member: Brigit Buff, Plummer (returning)

We will also announce 2025-2026 committee chairs and co-chairs, as we continue to develop our committee structure and independent leadership. Only WRTX member employees are allowed to serve on committees (you can check if your company is a member here). If you’re interested in filling a committee chair or vice-chair role (vice-chairs take over as chairs when the committee chair steps down) or participating on one of our committees as a member, please contact us! To learn more about our committees and their scope, visit our committee page.

WateReuse Texas has four standing committees:

• Outreach Committee (meets quarterly)
  Next meeting 9/16 at WRTX conference in the Communications, Outreach, and Planning Workshop
• Policy Committee (meets quarterly when not in session)
  Next meeting 9/18 at WRTX Conference, time TBD
• Research Committee (meets bi-monthly)
  Next meeting at WRTX conference on Tuesday afternoon and then even months on the first Thursday at 1 pm
• Events Committee (meets monthly and more often in August)
  Meeting weekly on Thursday afternoons at 3 pm until the conference

*All meetings are virtual unless noted otherwise, and times are in the Central time zone

These committees are designed to allow member organizations a direct way to engage in their most related reuse field. Any individual employed by a WRTX member is eligible to join. If you are interested in joining any of these committees, please contact Noelle George.

Texas’ water reuse funding is getting national attention! This article was included in the national WateReuse Association newsletter in June.

At a ceremony in Lubbock in June, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill that invests in water infrastructure, including a recurring $1 billion dedicated to water infrastructure for the next 20 years, pending voter approval this November. The state legislature also established a one-time investment of $1.7 billion in water funding to bridge the gap until the recurring funding begins. The funds will be distributed between developing new water supplies including treated oil & gas produced water, and the existing State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT). WateReuse Texas advocated with organizations across the state for more of the funding to go to the SWIFT fund, which includes potable and non-potable water reuse projects in the state water plan.

The City of Marble Falls, Texas broke ground on its new wastewater treatment and reclamation facility in May, the first step of a three-phase plan to create a direct potable reuse system for the city. The next steps after the construction of the new treatment facility will be a pilot advanced water purification study and a full-scale advanced water purification facility. The new wastewater treatment plant will expand the city’s treatment capacity to 3 million gallons per day, and the advanced water purification facility is expected to recycle 70%, or about 2 million gallons per day, to support the city’s growing population. “The One Water project is more than just an infrastructure upgrade; it’s a long-term investment in the future of Marble Falls,” said Marble Falls Mayor John Packer.

WateReuse member Cambrian Innovation was honored with Global Water Award Distinction for Industrial Project of the Year for its partnership with Anheuser-Busch to implement water recycling systems at its Houston brewery. Cambrian implemented a proprietary advanced membrane bioreactor system at the facility, which treats over 400,000 gallons of wastewater per day to drinking water quality. The recycled water is used for non-potable purposes at the site and is expected to treat 3.45 billion gallons over the organizations’ 20-year contract term.

Please view the WateReuse Texas Meetings & Events page for upcoming events, webinars, and more.

Noelle George, Managing Director
ngeorge@watereuse.org | (832) 619-9496