Texas water board to address water shortages

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has approved more than $4.3m in funding for water and wastewater projects to address critical drought-related water shortages across the state.

Of the total funding, $2m will be given to Sandy Land Underground Water Conservation District in Yoakum County and the Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District in Carson, Gray, Wheeler, Donley, Armstrong, Potter, Hutchinson, and Roberts Counties to provide financing for irrigation system improvements. Both loans will be given from the agriculture water conservation loan programme.

The districts will use the funds to provide loans to area farmers to purchase water-efficient centre pivot irrigation systems, sprinkler package conversions, and drip irrigation systems.

In addition, $403,425 will be given to the City of Olney in Young County, consisting of a $285,000 loan and $118,425 in loan forgiveness from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Olney is developing additional water supplies for its customers due to ongoing drought conditions. It is in stage four of drought restrictions.

Currently the city does not have an adequate water supply. The funds will be used to plan and design a water reuse project for the city.