Water planning in Texas
El Paso Water completed its first 50-year Water Resource Management Plan in 1991, with an outlook to 2040.
In 1997, the Texas State Legislature passed a bill that established the current process of water planning and divided the state into 16 regions, with each region required to produce a 50-year water plan every five years. All regional water plans are approved by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). El Paso is in the Far West Texas Region (Region E), along with six other counties.
Highlights from the 2021 Far West Texas Water Plan (Region E)
El Paso and the Far West Texas Region's most recent 50-year plan was submitted in 2021. The entire 2021 Far West Texas (Region E) Water Plan may be viewed here. The plan provides an evaluation of current and future populations, populations, demands, supply sources, water management strategies and costs. Projects that are proposed for funding through TWDB must be included in the State Water Plan. The table below shows population projections as presented in the 2021 regional water plan.
In the 2021 plan, EPWater identified additional water management strategies needed by 2020 to meet future demands. A listing of the water management strategies, the quantity and the timing of implementation is included in the 2021 Region E table below.
The pie chart below shows the projected breakdown of water supply sources in 2070 as identified in the 2021 plan. The "other" category includes the water management strategies Advanced Water Purification and Aquifer Storage and Recovery.
Because of successful water management implementation, groundwater importation has been delayed until 2050. For more information on EPWater's future importation plans, click here.
Future planning
Participation in the regional planning process is an important factor in the water resources management for El Paso. the participatory nature of regional water plan development is an ideal forum to work with others in the region to manage water on a regional basis. The sixth cycle of Regional Water Planning began in 2022. The next Regional Water Plan will be completed in 2026.