About the Surface Water Supply Project
The Greater Houston metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing regions in the nation. From 2000 to 2030, our metropolitan area is projected to rank fifth in the nation in population growth – bringing the current population of 6.5 million to greater than 9.2 million residents. This population growth presents an urgent need to maintain and expand public infrastructure, including roadways, water supply, sewer, and other utilities.
To meet water demands for 2025 and beyond and to meet the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District and Fort Bend Subsidence District’s groundwater reduction requirements, the West Harris County Regional Water Authority (WHCRWA) has partnered with the North Fort Bend Water Authority (NFBWA) on the Surface Water Supply Project.
The surface water from Lake Houston that is purchased from the City of Houston will be supplied through more than 55 miles of pipeline by way of the City of Houston’s Northeast Water Purification Plant. In anticipation of the additional water demand the WHCRWA and NFBWA have forged a partnership with The City of Houston and other regional water providers on the expansion of the Northeast Water Purification Plant, a multi-billion dollar project, to be completed in phases over the next decade.
WHCRWA and NFBWA are each paying their fair share of the Northeast Water Purification Plant expansion project and the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project. The Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project will maintain the water level at Lake Houston by transferring water from the Trinity River to Lake Houston and to the City’s Northeast Water Purification Plant. Partners of the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project include the City of Houston, WHCRWA, NFBWA, North Harris County Regional Water Authority, Central Harris County Regional Water Authority, and the Coastal Water Authority. Through this cost saving collaboration, the projects will be delivered faster and benefits will be realized sooner.