Tuesday August, 17
2004
TX:
Texas
Water Development Board Receives Funds from Texas Secton of American Water
Works Association to Develop Statewide Public Awareness Campaign for Water
Conservation
Source: Texas Water Development Board
The Water Conservation Implementation Task Force (Task Force) was created by Senate Bill 1094, sponsored by Senator Robert Duncan, approved by the 78th Legislature, and signed by Governor Rick Perry. The Task Force, composed of 32 members from throughout the State representing 16 interest groups, was formed for the purpose of evaluating matters regarding water conservation throughout Texas. TWDB Executive Administrator, J. Kevin Ward, serves as the Presiding Officer of the Task Force. The Task Force will report its recommendations to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the 79th Legislature no later than November 1, 2004. One of the six legislatively assigned tasks is consideration by the Task Force of the need to establish and maintain a statewide public awareness program for water conservation. When this task was first discussed in November 2003, the Task Force drafted a proposal for legislative consideration outlining the implementation of a statewide campaign. The estimated budget to initiate the program is approximately $10 million in the first year launch period, $6.7 million the second year, and $5.7 million in subsequent years. The initial market research phase of the program is estimated at $150,000.
Since the Task Force adopted their recommendation on a statewide public awareness program, there has been great interest in taking the necessary steps to implement this program. In March 2004, the TWDB entered into an agreement with the TXAWWA so that funds solicited by the TXAWWA could be earmarked in the TWDB Water Assistance Fund for the initial market research phase. The thirty-three partners who made this effort possible include: Alan Plummer Associates, American Electric Power, Aqua Water Supply Corp., Brazos River Authority, City of Austin, City of Corpus Christi, City of Dallas, City of Fort Worth, City of Houston, City of San Angelo, Edwards Aquifer Authority, Evergreen Underground Water Conservation District, Ewing Irrigation, Harris Galveston Subsidence District, High Plains Underground Water Conservation District, Houston Gulf Coast Irrigation Association, Lone Star Irrigation Association, Longhorn Supply, Lower Colorado River Authority, North Harris County Regional Water Authority, North Texas Municipal Water District, Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District, San Antonio Water System, Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter, South Plains Underground Water Conservation District, Tarrant Regional Water District, Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts, Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Nursery & Landscape Association, Texas Turf Irrigation Association, Texas Water Conservation Association, Trinity River Authority, and West Harris County Regional Water Authority.
“The Texas Section of the American Water Works Association was proud to step forward for the effort,” said Mike Howe, Executive Director of TXAWWA. “It’s just a beginning, though – a first step toward a legislatively funded statewide campaign to put water conservation on front pages and talk shows and websites. We’re proud to be here at the beginning, and we know there’s no end to the need to use Texas water efficiently,” he added.
Carole Baker, Director of Intergovernmental Relations for the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District and member of the WCITF, took a very active role in helping to secure the funds for the campaign. “I want to express my appreciation to all those who have committed funds to this exciting initiative! The make-up of this partnership shows that a water awareness campaign for all the citizens of Texas has strong support from many different sectors,” said Ms. Baker. “This is such an important step in our mission to not only educate, but more importantly, implement water conservation strategies as we plan for the future water needs of Texas,” she added.
J. Kevin Ward, TWDB Executive Administrator, expressed his appreciation to the donors. “This effort is vital to preserve the current robust ecological state of our land that Texans have come to expect.”
The initial market research phase, made possible through this donation, is being coordinated and managed by TWDB through a contract approved by the Board in June 2004 with EnviroMedia. This phase includes a quantitative statewide survey and the use of focus groups to determine what people across Texas know about water conservation and to identify the target audience, and other activities needed prior to legislative consideration. This preliminary work will benefit the TWDB and other state agencies, as well as regional and local water suppliers, in preparing and implementing their water conservation related programs.
The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional planning and preparing the State Water Plan for the development of the state’s water resources and administering cost-effective financial programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control and agricultural water conservation projects.
Contact:
Carla Daws
512-463-8176