San Marcos - Buda - Kyle Edition | March 2025

Water shortage sparks action From the cover

What are the options?

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One mitigation strategy includes continuing to expand the Alliance Regional Water Authority project, which involves the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer and Carrizo Water Treatment Plant, according to a city news release. Paul Kite, assistant director of utilities for water and wastewater in San Marcos, said the ARWA partnership signi cantly helps the city and will provide additional water resources in the future. ARWA expansions will be done in phases and are expected to provide around 27.01 ac-ft more per day by 2040, according to the Jan. 21 City Council pre- sentation. Additionally, the Canyon Regional Water Authority, through the Hays Caldwell Treatment Plant, is set to contribute 3.59 ac-ft per day by 2025. San Marcos Utilities Director Tyler Hjorth noted that the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority is exploring seawater desalination. If new water supplies are not secured, the city plans to expand nonpotable and potable recycled water use.

However, after updated population projections, San Marcos now anticipates requiring 102.8 ac-ft per day by 2075, according to San Marcos Utilities Director Tyler Hjorth’s update at a City Council work session Jan. 21. With the new projections, the amount of water residents would need could exceed the city’s supply by 2050.

San Marcos ocials are working to expand water sources and prioritize conservation to accommodate future growth. The city’s population is projected to reach 303,000 by 2075—an increase of 115,000 from the last projections in the 2017 State Water Plan. In the 2017 plan, San Marcos was projected to have enough water supply to meet the demand of 57.38 acre-feet, or ac-ft, per day.

Projected population

Projected population in 2026 Draft Regional Water Plan

300K 400K 100K 200K

+123.23%

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2030

2040

2050

2060

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2080

San Marcos' current sources of water per day

Projected water demand

CRWA, San Marcos River: 3.7 ac-ft ARWA, Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer: 7.4 ac-ft Edwards Aquifer: 14.9 ac-ft GBRA, Canyon Lake: 27.3 ac-ft

Projected demand in 2026 Draft Regional Water Plan

20,386 existing supply

30K 40K 10K 20K

NOTE: THE VALUES ABOVE WERE CONVERTED TO ACREFEET PER DAY FROM MILLION GALLONS PER DAY

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2030

2040

2050

2060

2070

2080

Total: 53.3 ac-ft

SOURCE: TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARDšCOMMUNITY IMPACT

SOURCE: CITY OF SAN MARCOSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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