During the recent drought, my office heard constantly from people concerned about the lack of water in our lakes. But now that the lakes are full and people are enjoying their boats and beautiful sunsets, a lot of people seem to be under the impression that we are out of the woods. I don’t think we are. There is no doubt we have been given a reprieve, but there is no way to know how long that may last. Now is the time to focus on ensuring an adequate water supply for the future.
The state’s population is expected to increase to about 46 million by the year 2060. That is a whole lot of Texans who will need water for drinking, cooking, bathing, gardening and many other uses. The Water Development Board estimates existing water supplies to decrease by 18 percent in that time frame while demand is expected to increase by 27 percent.
There are several strategies the state can explore to make sure future generations of Texans don’t run out of water. One strategy that we must embrace is desalination, both brackish and seawater… Read more from MyStatesman.com