Advancing One Water in TexasRachel Cardone, RedThread Advisors

One Water Drivers | A Texas-sized population growth rate … and sprawl

*2017 Texas State Water Plan**http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2016/cb16-81.html. The combined Houston-The Woodlands – Sugar Land added about 159,000 people, more than any other metro area in the country. See: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2016/cb16-43.html.

One Water Drivers | Also…

WATER DEMAND > SUPPLY VARIABLE CLIMATE

FINANCE IS NO LONGER CHEAP

Baseline | Traits of One WaterCollaboration with a wide variety of stakeholders and engagement with the

community

Economics and Finance

that recognize the true cost of water, prices it accordingly, and is attractive for public and private investors

Green Infrastructure that works with and mimics nature

Closed Loop Systems that enhance nutrient and energy recovery and encourages water sensitive behaviors

Built Environment with multi-functional infrastructure that supplements the natural environment

Enabling Conditions that foster innovative institutional and management arrangements

Flexible and Adaptive to allow for innovation and strengthen resilience to climate change and other factors

Discovery | Integration is happeningInstitutional factor

Individual or development

Utility or local government

City level Regional level National or state level

Legal / regulatory

Policy / planning

Economics / finance

Professional knowledge,cultures

Code Next

Integrated Water Task Force (Austin)

Houston – Green infrastructure as flood response

Coordination of Water-related NGOs / advocacy efforts

Policy efforts around stormwater

20% SWIFT funding available for conservation /

recycling

Dallas - Stormwater credits / abatement programs

LID / green infrastructure

Water efficient plumbing

Examples of DPR already exist / accepted in some places; indirect is accepted

A few regions include environmental flows into

regional processes

Coordination: The Aransas Project, Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program

Experiences with graywater, aux water, on site reuse

High saturation of water efficient fixtures / plumbing

Graywater code evolution

Experience / Interest in

ASR

Experience with P3 for financing

Discovery | Plenty of institutional barriers

http://ourtexaswater.org/projects/wichita-falls-direct-potable-water-reuse-project

Fill in

Design | Several areas where support can add value

Enabling conditions to support replication of

successes

Better structures to allow for policies and planning to

accommodate expansion of GI / technologies beyond a 1x1

project basis

Lack of evidence-informed planning and economic

models to inform local and regional planning &

decision making processes

Greater flexibility and higher risk appetite to allow for

replication and adaptation of successful approaches in

new contexts

Economic and financial incentives for cities and

the private sector (i.e. beyond utilities)

Need for leadership on specific issues to advance One Water – e.g. potable reuse

Cross-city knowledge sharing on the business case to

inform national advocacy efforts

What’s next | steps

Foundation building and managing its water portfolio for Texas

Reporting in final stages of development for publication this fall

Track the Harvey effect on demand for One Water

Rachel@redthreadadvisors.com