Texas Water Development Board

06/16/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/16/2025 10:26

Marble Falls’ One Water initiative: building the future of water reclamation

Marble Falls' One Water initiative: building the future of water reclamation Posted on June 16, 2025

Marble Falls, Texas-a rapidly growing Hill Country town of more than 9,000 residents-recently broke ground on its new wastewater treatment and reclamation facility, the first phase of a three-phase project that will ultimately create a direct potable reuse system.

The Highland Lakes system is the primary water source for Marble Falls, and the city's population is projected to double by 2040-which means increasing demands on the community's available water supply. To prepare for that growth, the City of Marble Falls has embraced the One Water philosophy to maximize its resources and create an additional water source through direct potable reuse.

Direct potable reuse treats reclaimed municipal wastewater to drinking water standards and introduces the treated water either directly into a public water system or into a raw water supply immediately before the water enters a conventional water treatment plant. Traditional water management treats various water sources and disposal systems separately, while a One Water approach treats all water-whether stormwater, wastewater, or drinking water-as part of a single, integrated system. The One Water philosophy takes an integrated planning and implementation approach to managing finite water resources for long-term resilience and reliability.

To turn wastewater into drinking water, direct potable reuse systems employ a four-stage treatment process that has been proven in pilot programs across the southwest.

First, filtration, like microfiltration, removes all suspended solids. Next comes a process to reduce the concentration of dissolved chemicals-like reverse osmosis, which pushes water through semi-permeable membranes to remove dissolved salts, pharmaceuticals, and other contaminants. The third stage is for disinfection and removal of trace organic compounds, where processes like advanced oxidation with ultraviolet light are employed to break down any remaining organic compounds. Finally, the water undergoes stabilization to ensure ideal mineral balance and taste before entering the distribution system and flowing into people's homes.

The first phase in Marble Falls' creation of a DPR water supply is constructing a new wastewater treatment and reclamation plant outside the floodplain. The city's current wastewater treatment plant, which is located in the floodplain, will be decommissioned upon the new plant's completion. When completed, the new wastewater treatment and reclamation facility will double the city's treatment capacity and employ a cutting-edge method to process wastewater more quickly and efficiently than traditional treatment methods.

"Support from the Texas Water Development Board has been vital to this project's success," said Marble Falls City Manager Mike Hodge. "Their financial assistance enabled us to proceed with a highly innovative water reclamation facility while being fiscally responsible to our residents. We're grateful for this partnership and what it means for the future of our city's infrastructure."

When the wastewater and water reclamation plant is online, the second phase begins-construction of an advanced purification pilot-scale plant, followed by rigorous testing and regulatory approval. After the pilot plant demonstrates that it can treat the water to meet state and federal drinking water standards comes the third and final phase-construction of a full-scale advanced water purification plant. Once that plant is constructed, full-scale testing and validation of the advanced purification plant is conducted to ensure the water produced meets regulatory standards. Then, with final regulatory approval, the city's DPR system will be complete and Marble Falls will have a new, sustainable source of water for the future.

"The One Water project is more than just an infrastructure upgrade; it's a long-term investment in the future of Marble Falls," said Marble Falls Mayor John Packer. "We've been intentional about engaging our community every step of the way, and I'm proud of how our residents have embraced the vision for more sustainable water use. This is a defining step forward for our city."

Marble Falls' initiative arrives at an opportune moment. The 2022 State Water Plan identifies water reuse as a key strategy for addressing the state's potential 6.9-million-acre-foot water shortage per year in 2070 during drought of record conditions. Other Texas cities-including Big Spring and El Paso-are either operating or working to construct DPR systems as well, demonstrating that communities of all sizes can explore this strategy.

As cycles of drought continue across Texas, implementing sustainable, forward-looking approaches to water management are key to communities' long-term success.

Want to know more about water reuse? This interview with TWDB Director of Conservation & Innovative Water Technologies Erika Mancha provides background information on potable reuse and its benefits for Texans.

This article is posted in Water Planning/ Financial Assistance/ Technology/ Water Supply/ Conservation.

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