The Surface Water Supply Project

WHCRWA and NFBWA are each paying their fair share of the Northeast Water Purification Plant expansion project and the now completed Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project. The Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project maintains 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.  The City of Houston, WHCRWA, NFBWA, North Harris County Regional Water Authority, Central Harris County Regional Water Authority, and the Coastal Water Authority partnered on the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project. Through this cost saving collaboration, the projects will be delivered faster and benefits will be realized sooner.

Our drinking water comes from two sources: surface water and groundwater. Surface water is water stored above ground, such as in a river or lake. Groundwater is the water beneath Earth’s surface in underground aquifers. In the greater Houston area, sustained pumping and withdrawal of groundwater causes land subsidence.

Land subsidence is sinking of the land surface. Pumping large amounts of groundwater causes the ground to settle, lowering the elevation of the land. From 1906 to 2000, as much as seven feet of subsidence has been measured in northwest Harris County.

Groundwater withdrawal in Harris and Galveston counties is regulated by the HGSD, a special purpose district created by the Texas Legislature in 1975 for the purpose of reducing land subsidence. In general, the HGSD requires all water suppliers in Harris and Galveston counties to reduce groundwater pumping based on the rate of subsidence in their area. Areas 1 and 2 are required to primarily use surface water. Area 3 is mandated to convert to 80 percent surface water supply by 2035. Most of the City of Houston has already converted from groundwater to surface water. Now, surrounding areas must follow suit in meeting these regulatory mandates.

The WHCRWA provides service to a large portion of Area 3, which is still largely dependent on groundwater. To comply with the conversion requirements of the HGSD, the WHCRWA is delivering the SWSP. This project will help to reduce land subsidence and will meet the water needs of a rapidly growing population.

The WHCRWA negotiated with the City of Houston to purchase additional surface water. The agreement that followed between the City and the WHCRWA requires that the water come from the City of Houston’s Northeast Water Purification Plant, thereby excluding other regional surface water sources. To deliver the water from the required source, the WHCRWA took great care to choose a route that considers the residents, businesses, and existing infrastructure. The WHCRWA spent years researching and refining the route and worked with elected officials to choose the most cost-effective alignment with the least impact to the community as a whole.

To minimize community impact, the majority of the pipeline is being installed within an existing pipeline corridor, purchased years ago.

Residents and businesses located within the WHCRWA and the NFBWA will be the recipients of water supplied by this project. Surface water will be delivered through a series of pump stations and pipelines to municipal water providers for distribution to residents and businesses. These transmission pipelines will vary in diameter from 96 inches to 42 inches, depending on the pipeline segment.

As construction continues, residents, business owners and anyone traveling in the vicinity of the pipeline alignment may experience detours, access issues, and other construction activities associated with large-scale linear projects. To minimize these impacts, the majority of the pipeline is being installed within existing pipeline corridors. Public safety, ease of access, and well-marked detour information is a priority throughout the life of the project. Project team members are committed to communicating proactively with the community.

The WHCRWA is working with multiple agencies to coordinate construction and minimize impacts along the entire route. In addition to complying with City of Houston ordinances regarding construction, including noise and air quality, the WHCRWA requires that its contractors go above and beyond to minimize disruption and implement best management practices. Major thoroughfares are planned to remain open during traffic times. Safety is a key consideration, as contractors are required to maintain safe job sites with regular facility and property inspections along the corridor.

As necessary, contractors are required to repair roadways impacted by construction. Access to churches, schools, businesses, and other properties are being maintained throughout construction. SWSP Program Managers will coordinate with these entities and local emergency services in advance to determine and communicate necessary road closures, identify appropriate detours, and phase construction to minimize disruptions.

Property owners will be contacted well in advance of construction activities and may have already been contacted regarding right-of-way acquisitions and right-of-entry.

Design for the SWSP began in spring 2016. Project construction began in early 2020 and is expected to be completed by 2026. No project segment will be affected for the entire five-year construction phase.

The WHCRWA requires its contractors to complete the project in segments. Construction activities in each segment last approximately six to nine months. Construction activities for any given area can last from weeks to months. For updates regarding construction schedules, please frequent the Construction Updates page.

This project is funded through revenue bonds issued by the WHCRWA and the NFBWA. The total project costs are estimated to be approximately $1.2 billion, and this project is funded solely by the two water authorities.

The WHCRWA’s and NFBWA’s interest and principal payments on outstanding bonds are supported by each authority’s sale of surface water to their customers and pumpage fees charged on well water pumped within each authority. Local municipal utility districts (MUDs) and cities buy their surface water from the water authorities and/or pay pumpage fees on well water pumped within the authorities’ boundaries.

NO RESIDENTS OUTSIDE OF THE WATER AUTHORITIES’ GROUNDWATER REDUCTION PLAN WILL PAY FOR THE SURFACE WATER SUPPLY PROJECT.

The West Harris County Regional Water Authority was established by the Texas Legislature in 2001 to supply surface water to the western region of Harris County. The WHCRWA service area includes approximately 120 municipal water providers within the boundaries of the WHCRWA and seven located outside of the WHCRWA boundaries. As mandated by the Texas legislature, the WHCRWA has several objectives:

• To acquire and provide a reliable supply of surface water
• To conserve, preserve, protect, and recharge groundwater resources
• To facilitate compliance with subsidence district requirements
• To encourage water conservation

If you would like to find out more information on the WHCRWA visit www.whcrwa.com.

The North Fort Bend Water Authority was established in 2005 to supply surface water to the northern region of Fort Bend County. The NFBWA service area includes approximately 69 utility districts and two cities, Fulshear and Arcola. Although this project is directly sponsored by the WHCRWA, the NFBWA is funding approximately 45 percent of the total cost and is a beneficiary of the surface water to be provided by the Surface Water Supply Project.

If you would like to learn more about the NFBWA visit www.nfbwa.com.