El Paso is on the Cutting Edge of Water Conservation

El Paso is on the Cutting Edge of Water Conservation

Faced with completely draining their water supply dry, officials and residents of El Paso, Texas worked together to change their ways and ensure a steady supply for the future. Now, according to the city’s  water utility manager, Ed Archuleta, “We’re basically drought-proof.”

How did they do it? A combination of actions that included massive water customer educational campaigns (Archuleta’s advice – focus on the kids). A little public shaming didn’t hurt either. The city also aggressively cooperated with their neighbors across their southern border, in Juarez, Mexico. New technologies included desalination and, more recently, wastewater reuse – an idea whose time has come.

This story proves that, with a lot of planning, the right kind of cooperation and proper funding, cities can ensure they have stable water supplies well into their future.

[Texas Observer]