GILMER -- The future of water reuse strategies was reviewed at the Northeast Texas Regional Water Planning Group D board of directors meeting on Wednesday [August 20] in Gilmer. Members of the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) made the presentation. Regional Water Group D is currently working on water management strategies, including water demand projections. Virginia Towles, TWDB liaison, informed the board they need to submit their projections as soon as possible for the state water management strategy. Consultant Ray Fleming advised the board that, "Water demand projections have increased approximately six percent since the last planning projections were done."

Board members then turned their attention to a presentation on the water reuse issue. TWDB representative Ernest Rebuck presented the board with examples of current water reuse systems around the state. "The state's master plan shows that the portion of water supplied by reuse will increase from two percent in 2000 to three percent in 2050," he said. "Water reuse represents nearly six percent of the water supplied by future strategies."

Planned uses for water reuse include municipal, manufacturing, stream electric power, irrigation and mining. The most common reused water is effluent from municipal sewage treatment plants. The water can be retreated and reused although some untreated water may be used for uses such as watering golf courses. Rebuck explained that reclaimed water is about two-thirds the price of fresh water. "It can be used for fields, parks and golf courses," he said. "It can be used for well injections for electric companies and refineries. It can save up to 100 million gallons a year."

Rebuck reviewed reuse programs in El Paso, Houston, Austin and Regions C. "We need to consider innovative strategies regarding reuse for the 2007 state water policy," he said. "But for every water user group with a need, we have to look at conservation as a strategy."

Board member Richard LeTourneau, Longview, asked, "If we adopt reuse as a strategy, how will it affect the coal mines and electrical facilities?"

Rebuck said, "Reuse is a very reliable source of water. It's almost drought-proof."

LeTourneau then asked if the reuse strategy would reduce demand. "It is a source," Rebuck said, "but we're not quite ready for all uses, including potable water. But we will substitute demand from one source to another, and reclaimed water can pay for itself. It is cost effective."

In other business, the board appointed eight voting members positions. The three-year terms for Bowie, Cass, Hopkins, Hunt, Lamar, Smith and Van Zandt counties were named in addition to one open spot.

[COMMENT: Curiously this reporter does not include any details about the lengthy debate which accompanied this election of new members, including the facts that Mike Huddleston did not seek re-election and that Judy Lee was voted down for the open position. Rumor has it that Huddleston refused to seek re-election because he knew that he would lose, and his plea on behalf of "SRBA President Judy Lee" for the open position was laughable. Judy Lee is not the President of the SeRBiA, unless something is going on behind the scenes. Rumor also has it that Huddleston will not be renominated to the SeRBiA, so perhaps he "assumed" that Judy Lee would be his replacement. But if the current four expired terms (Huddleston, Lowry, McClain and Parker) all are not renewed, as rumor has it as well, according to another rumor, Judy Lee is vowing to resign along with them. Good riddance to all of them! But nothing was mentioned about any of this at the previous day's meeting of SeRBiA in Mount Pleasant, so Huddleston's off-the-cuff remark about "President Judy Lee" was odd indeed! Legally Blonde Miss America Judy Lee herself was sitting in the Gilmer audience and heard what Huddleston said; however, she hurried off immediately after losing the election and these rumors could not be confirmed or denied. Time will tell. R.]

Regional Water Planning Group D includes Camp, Franklin, Morris and Titus counties. In 1997, the state of Texas created regional water planning groups as a result of Senate Bill 1. The groups identify strategies to meet the increased water demands in 2050. Strategies involving conservation and reuse are expected to provide a significant amount of the water demand in 2050.

The Northeast Texas Regional Water Planning Group, Region D, is looking at all water strategy options including water reuse. Ernest Rebuck with the Texas Water Development Board said the portion of water supplied by reuse in the state will increase from 2 percent in 2000 to 3 percent in 2050. And while that 2 percent represents the current supply, Rebuck said it also comprises nearly 6 percent of the water supplied by future strategies.

"Reuse in general is a very reliable source of water," Rebuck said during a presentation to the group at its monthly meeting Wednesday afternoon. His presentation was the result of a conversation he had with one of the group members, Richard LeTourneau. The water reuse will rise from under 100,000 acre-feet in 2000 to over 400,000 acre-feet in 2050. Rebuck said the plans for water reuse in 2050 include municipal, manufacturing, steam electric power, irrigation and mining.

To illustrate, he gave some examples of other cities getting in on the recycling business. He said San Antonio approved a water recycling system in 1996 that would have a 64-mile pipeline going around the entire city. El Paso Water Utilities reclaims 3.4 billion gallons per year, or 9 percent of water production, and their 2012 goal is to recycle 7 billion gallons per year. There are four plants in El Paso that use over 2.300 million gallons a year, covering more than 7,200 acre-feet.

In Houston are four wastewater treatment plants along the Houston Ship Channel, and in Region C, which includes Dallas, Rebuck said reuse has and will continue to be a big water supply source. And in Austin, the recommended future source for reuse is 31,000 acre-feet per year. Rebuck said some possible actions the Region D group could take are studies to determine the feasibility of water reuse, making reuse an innovative strategy and looking at other water management strategies.

"This is just another water supply source," said Rebuck. "It is something that is being discharged as a wastewater and we're turning it into something beneficial."

Upshur County Industry representative Steve Dean said he doesn't think they should abandon other strategies, though. "Just by conservation, we can save more," said Dean.

In other business, the group voted on eight appointments to the board of members whose three-year terms had expired. They voted for Beth Wisenbaker to retain her Hopkins County chair, Larry Olson to retain his Hunt County chair, William Justiss to retain his Lamar County chair, John Durgin to retain his Van Zandt County chair and for Gary Jackson to retain his Smith County chair.

George Frost will take over the Bowie County chair previously held by Mike Huddleston, Jim Thompson will take over the Cass County chair held by Bill Adams and Samuel Rabicoff will take over the at-large chair previously held by Alton Dockery.

[COMMENT: It is both amusing and ironic that one of Huddleston's sharpest critics has replaced him on Region D! R.]

The next meeting will be Sept. 17th [in either Gilmer or Mount Pleasant, to be announced].