Austin Water to Host Open House on Two Water Supply Projects

AUSTIN – Austin Water is inviting the community to learn about two key water supply projects in our 100-year Water Forward Plan: Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) and Brackish (salty) Groundwater Desalination (BGD).

Open House Details

Date: Thursday, Nov. 12
Time: 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Location: City of Austin Permitting and Development Center, Room 1405 Event Center, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive, Austin, TX 78752

The open house will be a come and go event. Please attend at the time that works best for your schedule.
 
Austin Water is working to protect our community’s water supply during droughts, climate change and emergencies. As we prepare for the future, we plan to study water quality and core samples from test wells on City-owned land in eastern Travis County, beginning in 2027. Test results will help assess the feasibility of pursuing Aquifer Storage and Recovery and Brackish Groundwater Desalination projects in this area.

How Aquifer Storage and Recovery Works

• When water supplies are plentiful, ASR will store available drinking water underground in a portion of the Trinity Aquifer like a savings account.
• During times of drought or other emergencies, the stored water is pumped from the aquifer and returned to Austin’s drinking water system.
• Water quality testing and treatment will be conducted before and after storage.

 
How Brackish Groundwater Desalination Works

• Salty groundwater from underground sources is brought to the surface for treatment.
• Specialized filtration technology removes salt and dissolved minerals from the groundwater to meet Austin’s drinking water standards.
• The process also produces leftover brine, which Austin Water will manage responsibly.

To learn more about these projects and to stay involved, visit SpeakUpAustin.org/ASR and SpeakUpAustin.org/Brackish. Questions can also be emailed to AW-ASR@austintexas.gov.
 
About Austin Water

Austin Water provides safe, reliable, high quality, sustainable and affordable water services that have met the community’s needs for more than 100 years. Austin Water serves more than one million people in the Austin metropolitan area across 544 square miles. As Austin continues to evolve, our mission remains the same: to provide water for people and care for the environment. For more information, visit austinwater.org.