Search Results

I am part of the Scientific Marksmen, SciMark for short, at my school. The SciMark is a magazine that is published at the end of the year that covers local issues within the realm of science. I was fortunate enough to not only contribute three stories (two water stories and a habitat loss story), but to also be selected as Creative Director. I want to give a snippet of the final magazine, so here are the three stories I contributed: Global Health Crisis: Is Dallas’ Water Safe? Over the years, there have been a number of water issues throughout the United States, including issues in Flint Michigan with lead contamination, and issues in Austin Texas, where poor infrastructure allowed sewage to seep into the clean water. These issues around the United States raise worry about whether or not Dallas will have similar issues to the water quality. Understanding what Dallas does to treat its water and the quality of Dallas’ water can help bring a sense of security to Dallasites about the water’s safety. DWU, or Dallas Water Utilities, is the company that supplies Dallas with fresh, clean water every day. Not only does DWU supply water to the Dallas area, but the company also treats the water and ensures excellent water quality in Dallas. Denis Qualls and Alicia Lee help Dallas with the water supply. Denis Qualls has been the superintendent of DWU for almost twenty years, and Alicia Lee helps create and lead conservation efforts for DWU. After talking with them over the summer and asking them some questions, which they answered quickly and succinctly it seems like Dallas is doing a great job providing safe and clean water to its residents. Dallas’ water is treated using settling, filtering, and ozone disinfection. The first part of the water treatment process involves removing suspended solids. DWU does this using the help of lime and iron sulfate, which also help with corrosion control. After removing the solids, the water is then filtered through various materials including gravel and sand. Once the water is completely filtered, DWU disinfects the water using chloramine and ozone. The reason that DWU uses chloramine (chlorine + ammonia) instead of chlorine by itself is because chloramine is less hazardous than chlorine. Ozone is also used to help disinfect the water. Ozone is a powerful oxidizing agent and when dissolved into water releases a broad spectrum biocade which kills all diseases and viruses as well as bacteria and cysts. Using ozone in water treatment has been a widespread practice since the early 1900s. Fluoride is then added to the water. Per the ADA (American Dental Administration) and the CDC (Center for Disease Control), adding fluoride to the water has proven to reduce tooth decay. Finally, activated carbon is used to control the taste and odor of the water. Dallas’ water is considered a “Superior” water system, which is the highest award for water quality given by the State of Texas. Dallas’ water also meets or exceeds all requirements and recommendations given by the state and federal government as well as the EPA. Dallas Water Utilities’ website outlines the positive effects of their treatment process, “The combination of our treatment processes and the non-corrosive nature of Dallas water results in exceptionally high quality, safe drinking water. In fact, in 1991, DWU won the Environmental Protection Agency's Region 6 Environmental Excellence Award for Public Water Supply. Recently, Dallas was notified that it will again receive this prestigious award. That means that Dallasites are drinking some of the best water in five states: Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and New Mexico.” Dallas’ water is tested around 45,000 times per month, or almost 63 times per minute. These tests meet all of the testing requirements set by the FDA and the city also exceeds these requirements by doing extra testing for other toxins and chemicals that are not on the FDA’s list. Dallas’ water is the highest quality in the region. There are lots of risks to any water supply, but even though Dallas has a great water utility system, there are still some risks that could threaten Dallas’ water in the future Most of Dallas’ infrastructure is over 30 years old, and despite continuous efforts to maintain, repair, and replace various facilities, it is unclear whether there is sufficient budget or whether the pace of repairs and upgrades is sufficient to stave off future issues. As Dallas continues to construct more infrastructure, especially as projects like the IPL are being completed, the operating budget must increase to cover new maintenance costs. It is unclear how much the budget is slated to increase. As the climate continues to get warmer, evaporation increases, taking water from Dallas’ supply, and as rainfall could potentially decrease, other threats of our current climate to the supply of water remain unclear. As more information is being discovered about new chemicals, there could be unknown harmful effects on humans caused by chemicals currently used to treat water. Forever chemicals, also known as PFAS, are resistant to breaking down in the environment. Found in nonstick cookware, food packaging, and firefighting foam, they are prevalent in most areas of the world. The biggest issue with these forever chemicals is that they can cause sickness, including cancer, liver damage, and developmental issues when in high concentrations. These chemicals have found their way into virtually every water supply around the world, and if there is no effort to slow the production of these chemicals or remove these chemicals from the water supply, the concentration of these chemicals will perpetually increase. Though forever chemicals are a threat to water supplies around the nation, Dallas has done a great job of limiting the number of these chemicals that are in the water supply. Denis Qualls, superintendent of DWU explains that there is currently 1 part per trillion, or “1 drop in 500,000 barrels” he said. Events like natural disasters, pandemics, and other large events could harm the water supply. Infrastructure could get destroyed in a natural disaster, and people might not be able to work due to a pandemic, putting at risk the ability to source Dallas with a sufficient amount of safe water. After talking to Denis Qualls and Alicia Lee from DWU, it seems like that many of the issues are either already resolved or plan to be resolved in the near future. They even shared Dallas’ 500-page water supply plan titled 2014 Long Range Water Supply Plan detailing Dallas’ goals to “preserve the quality and quantity of Dallas’ water for now and for future decades”-Alicia Lee. It is great to know that DWU’s leaders have the citizens’ daily necessities as their top priority. The future of Dallas Water Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) gets its water from seven sources, included are six lakes, also called reservoirs (Lake Grapevine, Lake Lewisville, Lake Ray Hubbard, Lake Ray Roberts, Lake Fork, Lake Tawakoni) and one river system (Elm Fork of Trinity River). Of all of these, Lake Ray Hubbard is the only reservoir that the City of Dallas owns and operates. Dallas and other municipalities share the rights to extract water from the other six places. Water supply is measured in million gallons per day (MGD), and Dallas’ water supply capacity is 502 MGD. As of right now, Dallas residents in total are using 470 MGD throughout the day or around 145 gallons per person per day. Dallas’ yearly 38.3 inches of rainfall is essential to Dallas’ water supply. Rainfall fills the reservoirs, and after a wet 2021, almost all of the reservoirs are all above 85% capacity, except one, due to repairs on the dam. Dallas is very lucky to have a predictable amount of yearly rainfall. As climate change continued over the past few decades, the western part of the United States has become dryer, while the eastern part of the United States has become wetter. Dallas is right in the middle of United States, and the city has maintained a seemingly predictable amount of yearly rainfall for the past 150 years. The seven lakes/rivers and annual rainfall allow Dallas to continue to have a consistent water supply. Dallas’ thousands of miles of piping carry water miles to its various destinations. Dallas has a total of 12,000 miles of piping. Within these 12,000 miles, there are three types of pipes: water mains, wastewater mains, and storm pipes. Most of these pipes range between 4” and 120” in diameter and carry water to different parts of the city. However, to pump water to these places, Dallas uses pump stations to pump water through these pipes. Some of Dallas’ pump stations are from the 1930s and can pump 50,000 gallons per minute. The newest pump stations can pump upwards of 900,000 gallons per minute. This equates to 72 and 1,200 MGD respectively. The water from these pump stations goes into the water pipelines and to DWU’s customers to be used. Because of rising water demand driven by population growth, Dallas’ current lakes and reservoirs will not be able to sustainably supply the city with water past 2030. The City of Dallas has approved, funded, and is currently working on connecting three more water sources and building a reservoir to extend its water supply through 2070. Dallas will do this through four main projects: The Integrated Pipeline Project (IPL), Indirect Reuse through a Balancing Reservoir; a connection to the Neches River; and a connection to Lake Columbia. These projects and are projected to increase the water supply to 850 MGD (a 350 MGD increase) and keep Dallas’ water sustainable even as the population doubles by 2070. Dallas’ first of four projects is the Integrated Pipeline Project (IPL). The IPL is the construction of over 150 miles of pipelines, three new intake pump stations (two of which will be used in future projects), and three booster pump stations (to help pump water through the 150 mile pipeline). The 9-foot (diameter) pipe will connect Lake Palestine to the current water supply. This project will provide Dallas with an additional 102 MGD, and it will help Dallas meet demand through 2050. The IPL, according to Denis Qualls, superintendent of DWU, is still slated for a 2027 completion. The second project is called Indirect Reuse through a Balancing Reservoir where Dallas will construct a reservoir to store discharged non-potable water from the wastewater treatment plants. This reservoir will allow Dallas to treat the water and then use the water as needed. This project will be completed by 2050, and it will increase Dallas’ water supply by 102 MGD. The third project is the connection to the Neches River. The Neches River runs south out of Lake Palestine, and the intake pump station, created in the IPL, will pump water into the same pipeline created in the IPL where it will head to Dallas. This project will supply an additional 42 MGD. The final project slated to be completed before 2070 is the connection to Lake Columbia. Lake Columbia is located 20 miles east of Lake Palestine. Similar to the Neches River connection project, an intake pump station will pump the water from Lake Columbia to Lake Palestine and then into the same pipeline created in the IPL, where the water will head to Dallas. The project will supply an additional 42 MGD, bringing Dallas’ water supply capacity up to almost 850 MGD. Here is a visual showing how these projects will increase the water supply: Sourced from: https://www.dallascityhall.com/departments/waterutilities/DCH%20Documents/2014_LRWSP_Final_Report_all_11302015.pdf Dallas will spend a total of $3.914 billion on DWU’s water projects between 2020 and 2070. The four main water supply projects mentioned above will cost a total of $1.851 billion ($1.097 billion for the IPL, $675 million for the Balancing Reservoir, $227 million for the Neches River Connection, and $160 million for the Lake Columbia connection). Not only is DWU executing the above four projects, but DWU is executing sixteen other projects, between 2015 and 2070, to improve existing infrastructure. These projects will cost $2.063 billion, and plan to execute expansions to existing water plants, expansions to an existing balancing reservoir, and improvements to the filters at the water plants. While Dallas’ infrastructure is effective, almost two thirds of it is over 30 years old. Dallas is trying to solve its number one problem, aging infrastructure, by constantly replacing old parts of the water system. Dallas is also renovating and replacing various essential infrastructure, including the water/wastewater treatment plants, the pump stations, the storage tanks, and piping. As Dallas continues to supply clean water to its residents, something that is extremely comforting is DWU’s priorities. DWU prepares for the “worst-case scenario,” said Denis Qualls. However, it is evident that Dallas has the water supply situation completely under control and is working on increasing the city’s water supply to exceed projected demand through 2070. Environmental Destruction As issues regarding the environment and climate change continue to gain popularity and become a bigger and more imminent threat, it is important to understand some of the causes of these issues. Habitat loss is a major cause of the climate crisis, and while it may be hard to completely stop habitat loss, there are ways to help slow the process down. Habitat loss is the destruction, degradation, or fragmentation of natural habitats, such as forests, wetlands, grasslands, and other ecosystems. Habitat loss can occur due to a range of activities, including agriculture, urbanization, mining, logging, and infrastructure development. Another cause of habitat loss is climate change, as the changing climate makes it hard for some species to adapt and thrive. Each of these activities clear land, whether that is a forest, prairie, or other biome, to make room for human activities or for gathering resources. Some of the effects of habitat loss include loss of biodiversity, fragmentation of habitats, disruption of ecosystem services, climate change, and human/wildlife conflicts. All of these effects are tied together—when habitats become fragmented or lose essential parts that allow them to function properly, the habitat will lose some of its diversity as certain species of plants and animals lost an essential part of their habitat. When habitats are not able to support all the life they are supposed to, ecosystem services—including water purification, air quality regulation, and carbon sequestration—stop occurring. Finally, closer contact between the habitats and humans causes more harm than good, as natural human occurrences degrade the environment. According to Akash Munshi, who specializes in botany, habitat loss is extremely prevalent in Dallas, especially in the Blackland Prairie. “The prairie is sometimes called upside down forest because these roots go down more than 25 feet” Akash said. The prairie is an extremely important ecosystem that is slowing dying off. The native prairie grasses are essential to the prairie ecosystem because with the loss of native grasses, the topsoil will get blown away, exposing the ecosystem to harsh conditions and therefore making it harder for the ecosystem to survive. Habitat loss is directly linked to climate change. “To link it all together…if you're removing habitat, you're removing large…carbon sinks” Akash said. This presents another issue with habitat loss: climate change. Plants act as carbon sinks, which mean that they soak up carbon dioxide in the air and output oxygen. Loss of these carbon sinks means that less carbon dioxide will be converted into breathable oxygen, which, in turn, worsens the climate change problem. Akash presents one of the main causes of habitat loss in Texas: suburbia. “One of the worst things you can have in your yard, and this is everywhere, is have invasive grass, [like] Bermuda grass… It's just it's used to landscape everything,” he said. Instead of using native grasses, people usually opt for non-native grasses like Bermuda Grass, which is super lush and looks appealing, but is an invasive species that requires tons of water to landscape. On top of clearing land for suburbia, the land is being replaced with plants that require special attention and actually harm the ecosystem around them. “What people need to do is switch to a native grass,” Akash said, “There's an example called buffalo grass. After you seed it, you have to water for about one month, and then you never have to water again, and you never have to mow it. And in my opinion, it looks much better,” he said. This is a great solution to help build up the environment while creating a yard for a home, as it is a win-win situation for both the environment and landscaping. “Not really enough is being done,” Akash said, when asked about what is being done to protect the environment. However, he has taken it upon himself to help save the prairie ecosystem. Akash is passionate about helping the ecosystem, and his nonprofit helps restore the Blackland Prairie. He is working on restoring 14,000 square feet of the Blackland Prairie with native grasses with the hopes of helping reform the topsoil and restore the prairie. He recently held a service opportunity for St. Mark’s students to help restore part of the prairie over the past week by helping restore the native grasses and topsoil to parts that need it. Akash and his non-profit have already planted three to four thousand plants. “We're going in [and] planting every weekend,” he said, “we’ve rescued chunks of prairie that are slated to be destroyed.” An interesting aspect of habitat loss is that it is sometimes caused by forestation. “One example of degradation of the prairies actually forestation on the prairies. I mean, these deciduous trees are coming in,” Akash said. An important part of retaining the habitat is making sure that separate biomes are not mixed in a way that one will get destroyed. Even though all these habitat problems are plaguing the world, it is great to know that people in the St. Mark’s community are helping battle this giant environmental issue. It is also great to know that anyone can help, whether it is donating to his and other non-profits that help combat habitat loss, landscaping with native grasses, or even by planting or caring for a pollinator garden. Habitat loss is a global issue, but with everyone helping, the issue can and will get resolved. Images sourced from: https://www.dollar.com/blog/dallas/experience-dallas-fort-worth-local-way https://www.imagesfromtexas.com/photo/reflections-of-the-dallas-skyline-in-the-trinity-river/ https://www.kennybraun.com/Texas-Landscapes-from-the-book:--As-Far-As-You-Can-See/93

Background As the population of the world grows, water systems must provide for more people. Dallas’ surface water supply is projected to exceed water demand for the next fifty years, despite drastic population growth. However, other areas of the world are not as fortunate to be in this situation. California has almost used 100% of its groundwater, its main source of water, and other areas of the world do not currently have reliable sources of water. Only 3% of the Earth’s water is fresh, so being able to use the other 97% for drinking/bathing/everyday use could solve the global water crisis. This is where water desalination can help. What is water desalination? Water desalination is the process of removing salts and other impurities from seawater, making it potable. Water desalination technology has been around for centuries, but it has improved drastically in recent years. There are two types of water desalination: thermal, and reverse osmosis. Thermal desalination involves heating the seawater to produce steam, which is condensed into fresh water, while reverse osmosis involves applying immense pressure to seawater, forcing it through a semi-permeable membrane that removes salts and impurities. Image: Water desalination plant Sourced from: https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/prob_solutions/desalination.html Pros and cons of water desalination Pros: Water desalination allows people to have access to more drinking water, especially as naturally fresh water becomes scarcer. Water desalination is an extremely reliable source of freshwater. While weather and droughts affect water sources around the world today, water desalination remains unaffected through these same conditions. Another benefit of water desalination is that it reduces the dependence on freshwater sources around the world, especially as they become increasingly scarce. This not only saves the freshwater that is left, but it also helps reduce the spread of waterborne disease as thermal desalination and reverse osmosis are able to kill these diseases. Cons: While water desalination has its set of benefits, it also has some drawback as well. Water desalination is expensive, not only does it cost a lot of money, but it also uses lots of energy. Additionally, the water desalination can result in the discharge of highly concentrated brine, which can have a negative effect on the marine environment. Conclusion Water desalination could very well be the answer to the global water crisis. While it is currently very expensive and has a toxic biproduct, improvements can and will be made, allowing water desalination to be the future of potable water. By continuing to invest in research and development of the water desalination process, desalination can become more sustainable and efficient, making it the solution to future water needs.

Between June and October 2022, floods in Pakistan killed almost 2,000 people, and negatively impacted over 30 million. The immediate causes of the floods were heavier than usual monsoon rains and melting glaciers that followed a severe heat wave, both of which are linked to climate change. The flooding was the world’s deadliest since the 2020 South Asian floods. It was described as the worst in the country’s history. On top of the human impact, these floods caused almost $30 billion in damages. Even now, months later, one in fifteen people in Pakistan are affected by these floodwaters. Hundreds of thousands of homes and numerous sanitation and public health facilities have been destroyed. Because numerous sanitation facilities in Pakistan were destroyed, disease is now ravaging the country. Due to lack of sanitation and healthcare facilities, people battle malnutrition, diarrhea, malaria, dengue fever, typhoid, acute respiratory infections, and painful skin conditions. The widespread floods and destruction of water systems do not help the situation as water borne diseases such as cholera are now an imminent threat. Pakistan’s recovery from these floods will take a very long time. Not only for the recovery of healthcare and sanitation facilities, but for the recovery of the affected people. Not only have these floods displaced people from their homes, but these floods have also made it extremely hard to get food. Nearly 15 million people need immediate food assistance. Image: foreigners provide aid in Pakistan As the humanitarian condition in Pakistan continues to plummet, the economic and water situations are plummeting as well. Nearly. 9 million people are being pushed from the middle class into poverty, and millions do not have access to clean water. As I continue to learn more about global health issues, I am beginning to realize that many of these global issues are intertwined. In my previous post, I explored the connection between the sanitation and water crises, and I realize that is same connection can be made in Pakistan as after the sanitation facilities are damaged, disease will ravage the country more easily. In future posts, I will continue to examine these connections and learn more about local and global issues and possible solutions. Sources: https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/devastating-floods-pakistan-2022 https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disasters/2022-pakistan-floods/ https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-64068860 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/12/7/8-million-still-potentially-exposed-to-pakistan-floodwaters-un

Background Over the past few months, I have been watching various documentaries and movies relating to the global water crisis. A documentary that I found interesting was Inside Bill’s Brain, which is a three-part series about Bill Gates’ life. Included in this three-part series is how Bill Gates helps develop technology to help solve global issues. Watching this documentary led me to do some more research about Bill Gates’ work in helping solve the global sanitation crisis. Sourced from: https://www.yidio.com/show/inside-bills-brain-decoding-bill-gates/season-1/episode-1/links.html?utm_source=Bing&utm_medium=Search&t_source=64&utm_campaign=1434&msclkid=9c47c615d5d711cc308da5baf536bfb2 Image: Bill Gates’ Inside Bill’s Brain Scope of the global sanitation crises: · 2.3 billion people, around 29% of the world, worldwide still do not have access to basic sanitation facilities. Basic sanitation facilities include places for safe disposal of human waste and maintenance of hygienic conditions (including garbage, industrial, and hazardous waste collection as well as wastewater treatment/disposal). · 4.5 billion people, around 60% of the world, do not have access to safely managed sanitation · 1.1 billion people, around 15% of the world, still practice open defecation · Poor sanitation is the 18th most common cause of death, killing 775,000 people each year. Sourced from: https://ourworldindata.org/sanitation#:~:text=Unsafe%20sanitation%20is%20responsible%20for%20775%2C000%20deaths%20each,15%25%20of%20the%20world%20still%20practice%20open%20defecation. Image: Death rates due to poor sanitation What has been done to date: In 2011, the Bill Gates Foundation challenged the world to reinvent the toilet. The goal of the “Reinvent the Toilet” program was to create a toilet that would process waste locally, without the need to connect to a sewer system. These toilets would help places without modern sewage systems and proper waste processing/disposal. The world responded to Gates’ challenge, and within the decade, many toilets were created. Lots of these toilets turned human waste into valuable resources, including water, fertilizer, and electricity. The documentary In his documentary, Inside Bill’s Brain, Bill Gates highlights the $50,000 toilet. Though it is called a toilet, it is more like a waste processor and will serve as a central sewage processing station. When waste is put into the machine, it converts it into clean, drinkable water. Because this toilet is expensive, it would not be inputted into every home. Instead, it would serve as a communal sewage plant and be placed in the middle of a town, slum, or city, so people can safely get rid of their waste and get clean water at the same time. Sourced from: https://us.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?hspart=ima&hsimp=yhs-remarklist&p=4.5%2F6&type=q3020_D3L4M_ext_bcrq Image: the $50,000 toilet Learnings Something that I learned from his documentary and my research of the sanitation crisis is that the sanitation crisis is directly related to the water crisis. When human waste is not properly processed and cleaned, it finds its way into nature. In one jar of untreated human feces, there could be up to 200 trillion rotavirus cells, 20 billion Shigella bacteria, and 100,000 parasitic worm eggs. Latrines, or outhouses, and open defecation, or excreting outdoors, directly contribute to the sanitation and water crises. Latrines contain lots of untreated waste and open defecation puts untreated waste directly into nature. Within this waste are deadly diseases that seep into nature. Because of the lack of proper sanitation, these diseases have found their way into water sources around the world, contaminating the world's clean water.

Dallas’ water system is of the highest quality, and there have not been large issues in the past. However, with recent issues experienced by other water municipalities, it leads one to wonder whether Dallas, even with its superior water quality and rigorous testing, would face threats to its water quality at some point. Threats like in Flint, Michigan, where underfunded maintenance budgets and aged infrastructure allowed lead to seep into its water supply. Threats like in Austin, Texas, where population increases outpaced existing wastewater treatment capacity, causing it to overflow into its clean water system. Threats like in Hinkley, California, where chemicals used to treat the water were actually toxic to humans. Below are some other risks that could be an issue for Dallas’ water. Sourced from: https://www.dallascityhall.com/departments/waterutilities/DCH%20Documents/2014_LRWSP_Final_Report_all_11302015.pdf Image: Dallas’ future budget allotted to projects which will increase the water supply. Is Dallas Water Utilities’ operating budget sufficient to upgrade the existing infrastructure? Most of Dallas’ infrastructure is over 30 years old, and despite continuous efforts to maintain, repair, and replace various facilities, it is unclear whether there is sufficient budget or whether the pace of repairs and upgrades is sufficient to stave off future issues. Is Dallas Water Utilities’ future operating budget enough to maintain future infrastructure? As Dallas continues to construct more infrastructure, especially as projects like the IPL are being completed, the operating budget must increase to cover new maintenance costs. It is unclear how much the budget is slated to increase. As climate change continues, what are the effects on the water supply? As the climate continues to get warmer, evaporation increases, taking water from Dallas’ supply, and as rainfall could potentially decrease, other threats of our current climate to the supply of water remain unclear. Sourced from: https://www.punctualplumberdallas.com/blog/where-does-our-water-come-from/ Image: Reservoirs in the greater Dallas area. Even though the FDA regulates safe levels for certain chemicals, are there certain unknown harmful effects of these chemicals that are used to treat Dallas’ water? What is being done to ensure we continue to regulate the safety of the water above and beyond testing for known harmful chemicals? Just like more harmful effects are being discovered about forever chemicals, there could be unknown harmful effects of certain chemicals that are used in the Dallas water. Although the City of Dallas is being planful about its next steps, will there be any other unforeseen events that could put the water supply in jeopardy? Events like natural disasters, pandemics, and other large events could harm the water supply. Infrastructure could get destroyed in a natural disaster, and people might not be able to work due to a pandemic, putting at risk the ability to source Dallas with a sufficient amount of safe water.

Where does Dallas get its water? How much water can Dallas supply? Dallas gets its water from seven sources, included are six lakes, also called reservoirs (Lake Grapevine, Lake Lewisville, Lake Ray Hubbard, Lake Ray Roberts, Lake Fork, Lake Tawakoni) and one river system (Elm Fork of Trinity River). Of all of these, Lake Ray Hubbard is the only reservoir that the City of Dallas owns and operates. Dallas and other municipalities share the rights to extract water from the other six places. What is Dallas’ rainfall like and what is its importance? Dallas’ yearly 38.3 inches of rainfall is essential to Dallas’ water supply. Rainfall fills the reservoirs, and after a wet 2021, the reservoirs are all above 85% capacity, with the exception of Lake Fork, which is only at 72% due to repair work occurring at its dam. All of these reservoirs are at a lower level, consistent with yearly water level fluctuations. Dallas is very lucky to have a predictable amount of yearly rainfall. As climate change continued over the past few decades, the western part of the United States has become dryer, while the eastern part of the United States has become wetter. Dallas is right in the middle of United States, and the city has maintained a seemingly predictable amount of yearly rainfall for the past 150 years. The seven lakes/rivers and annual rainfall allow Dallas to have a sustainable water supply capacity of 502 million gallons per day (MGD). What is Dallas doing to increase the water supply? Because of rising water demand driven by population growth, Dallas’ current lakes and reservoirs will not be able to sustainably supply the city with water past 2030, and Dallas is estimated to run out of water in 2035. As a result, the City of Dallas has approved, funded, and is currently working on connecting three more water sources and building a reservoir to extend its water supply through 2070. Dallas will do this through four main projects: The Integrated Pipeline Project (IPL), connecting Dallas to to Lake Palestine; Indirect Reuse through a Balancing Reservoir; a connection to the Neches River; and a connection to Lake Columbia. These projects will be completed by 2027, 2050, 2060, and 2070 respectively, and are projected to increase the water supply to 850 MGD (a 350 MGD increase) and keep Dallas’ water sustainable even as the population doubles by 2070. Dallas’ first of four projects is the Integrated Pipeline Project (IPL). The IPL is the construction of over 150 miles of pipelines, three new intake pump stations (one for Lake Palestine, one for the future Neches River project, and one for the future Lake Columbia project), and three new booster pump stations (to help move the water towards Dallas at a faster rate). The 9-foot pipe will connect Lake Palestine to Joe Pool Lake where another pipeline will take the water to Bachman Water Plant to be cleaned and treated. The IPL is currently slated for a 2027 completion, and this project will provide Dallas with an additional 102 MGD, and it will help Dallas meet demand through 2050. The second project is called Indirect Reuse through a Balancing Reservoir where Dallas will construct a reservoir to store discharged non-potable water from the wastewater treatment plants so that Dallas can treat the water and then use the water as needed. This project will be completed by 2050, and it will increase Dallas’ water supply by 102 MGD, bringing the total supply to over 750 MGD. The third project is the connection to the Neches River. The Neches River runs south out of Lake Palestine, and the intake pump station, created in the IPL, will pump water through a pipeline to Lake Palestine. This water will then get pumped through the 90-mile pipeline, created in the IPL, back to Dallas where it will be sent to Bachman Water Plant to be cleaned and treated. This project will supply an additional 42 MGD, bringing the water supply capacity to almost 800 MGD. The final project slated to be complete before 2070 is the connection to Lake Columbia. Lake Columbia is located 20 miles east of Lake Palestine. Similar to the Neches River connection project, an intake pump station will pump the water from Lake Columbia to Lake Palestine, via a pipeline, where it will go inside the same 90-mile pipeline to Joe Pool Lake. The project will supply an additional 42 MGD, bringing Dallas’ water supply capacity up to almost 850 MGD. Sourced from: https://www.dallascityhall.com/departments/waterutilities/DCH%20Documents/2014_LRWSP_Final_Report_all_11302015.pdf Image: projected water supply until 2070. The red line represents raw water demand, and the colored sections represent the daily quantity of water supplied by different projects. What is the total cost of these projects? Dallas will spend a total of $3.914 billion on DWU’s water projects between 2020 and 2070. The four main water supply projects mentioned above will cost a total of $1.851 billion ($1.097 billion for the IPL, $675 million for the Balancing Reservoir, $227 million for the Neches River Connection, and $160 million for the Lake Columbia connection). Not only is DWU executing the above four projects, but DWU is executing sixteen other projects, between 2015 and 2070, to improve existing infrastructure. These projects will cost $2.063 billion, and plan to execute expansions to existing water plants, expansions to an existing balancing reservoir, and improvements to the filters at the water plants. What are the other lakes in the Dallas area used for? There are eight other smaller lakes in the Dallas area that are not connected to the Dallas Water Supply, including Bachman Lake, Joe Pool Lake, Mountain Creek Lake, Lemmon Lake, North Lake, Fish Trap Lake, Lake Cliff, White Rock Lake, and Parkdale Lake. Water in half of these lakes (Joe Pool Lake, Mountain Creek Lake, White Rock Lake, and North Lake) is used as a coolant for Dallas Power and Electric Plants. Bachman Lake is used for municipal water storage. Lemmon Lake used to be a one-of-a-kind wildlife area but has since dried up due to a breach in the earthen dam. Sourced from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/54254370480747272/ Image: White Rock Lake in Dallas What is the nature of the infrastructure in the Dallas water system? Dallas has 3 different water treatment plants, 2 wastewater treatment plants, 22 pump stations, 15 wastewater pump stations, and 21 storage tanks. Dallas has over 5,000 miles of water main pipelines 4,000 miles of wastewater main pipelines, and 3,000 miles of storm drain pipelines. Dallas’ water treatment plants treat water from DWU’s reservoirs daily. Together, these three water treatment plants have a water treatment capacity of 900 MGD. These water treatment plants supply Dallas with clean drinking water every day. The Eastside Water Treatment Plant produces almost 63% of Dallas’ clean water, or 314 MGD to around 2.2 million people. The Elm Fork and Bachman Water Treatment Plants, together, produce the remaining 37% of Dallas’ daily drinking water, or about 188 MGD to around 1 million people per day. Dallas’ two wastewater treatment plants clean wastewater so that the water can go back into the environment: places like local creeks, lakes, and the Trinity River. However, this water is not potable, and it still needs to be treated before it can be used for human consumption. The two wastewater treatment plants, Southside and Central Wastewater Treatment Plants, can clean up to 260 MGD. However, the plants only treat around 160 MGD combined as that is how much wastewater DWU’s customers produce per day. Dallas’ 22 pump stations pump clean water to DWU’s customers. These pump stations pumping capacity is anywhere between 50,000 and 900,000 gallons per minute, or between 72 MGD and 1,200 MGD. The large gap is due to the age of the pump stations. Some of Dallas’ pump stations are from the 1930s and can pump 50,000 gallons per minute. The newest pump stations can pump upwards of 900,000 gallons per minute. The water from these pump stations goes into the water pipelines and to DWU’s customers to be used. 15 wastewater pump stations are dotted around DWU’s 700 square mile service area. These pump stations pump wastewater from DWU customers to the wastewater treatment plants. Together, these pump stations can pump over 4.7 BGD, but currently, they only pump 160 MGD. Dallas’ 21 storage tanks help store water for their service area. There are 9 above ground tanks and 12 underground tanks. Although these storage tanks do not have a minimum storage capacity requirement, they must meet the storage and fire demands of its service area. Dallas’ thousands of miles of piping carry water miles to its various destinations. Dallas has three different types of water pipelines: water mains, wastewater mains, and storm pipes. Dallas has 5,000 miles of water mains, 4,000 miles of wastewater mains, and 3,000 miles of storm pipes. Most of these pipes range between 4” and 120” in diameter, and carry water to different parts of the city. Sourced from: http://dal-tech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/pro-11-3.png Image: Ariel view of Dallas' Southside Water Treatment Plant What are some upgrades that Dallas is doing maintain its current and future infrastructure? While Dallas’ infrastructure is effective, almost two thirds of it is over 30 years old. Dallas is trying to solve its number one problem, aging infrastructure, by constantly replacing old parts of the water system. Dallas is also renovating and replacing various essential infrastructure, including the water/wastewater treatment plants, the pump stations, the storage tanks, and piping. Here are some examples: The Eastside Water Treatment Plant recently had some renovations done to increase its capacity to store clean, treated water. Four 16-million-gallon concrete tanks were added, increasing the capacity of treated water to 64 million gallons. This water can be sent to customers at a moment’s notice. All four tanks were completed on time and within budget. By 2024, the Eastside Water Treatment Plant will provide water to over 3 million people. The Elm Fork Water Treatment Plant will have its filter complex replaced. This replacement was part of DWU’s long term planning. According to Mark S. Swain, City of Dallas Auditor, “The Elm Fork Water Treatment Plant Filter Complex has reached the end of its useful life and the project plans to improve water quality and filtration efficiency. The project was estimated to cost between $130 million and $145 million.” The Walcrest Pump Station had a complete rebuild. After being demolished, construction started in 2014 and finished eight years later in the spring of 2022. The Walcrest Pump Station was over 50 years old, so replacement parts were hard to find, and the equipment did not meet the current standards. The new Walcrest Pump Station now serves over 850,000 residents with clean water daily. Dallas’ pipes are also in need of being replaced. Around 1% of the piping is replaced per year, but Dallas has plans to increase annual pipe replacement so that the DWU water system can continue to run smoothly and serve its customers daily. To maintain its future infrastructure, DWU must increase its operating budget. DWU is increasing its water rates so that the organization can increase its $500 million operating budget to cover the additional maintenance costs that come with the new infrastructure. How is the water treated to make sure that it is safe and clean? According to the City of Dallas, “DWU uses chemical treatment, settling, filtering and disinfection to purify drinking water. The chemicals we use include chlorine and ammonia (which combines to make chloramine) or ozone to disinfect the water; lime and iron sulfate to remove suspended solids in the water and for corrosion control; activated carbon to control offensive tastes and odors; and fluoride to help prevent tooth decay. “We use chloramine instead of chlorine to protect the health and safety of our citizens. Studies have shown that using chlorine by itself can cause a reaction in the water that leaves by-products called trihalomethanes. Some studies indicate that trihalomethanes could be harmful if consumed in large quantities over long periods of time. Dallas water is considered non-corrosive, which means that it is less likely to leach lead from pipes than water that is corrosive. “The combination of our treatment processes and the non-corrosive nature of Dallas water results in exceptionally high quality, safe drinking water. In fact, in 1991, DWU won the Environmental Protection Agency's Region 6 Environmental Excellence Award for Public Water Supply. Recently, Dallas was notified that it will again receive this prestigious award. That means that Dallasites are drinking some of the best water in five states: Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and New Mexico.”

Who uses the water? Dallas’ water is used almost equally between two groups of people: Dallas residents (this category includes residents and businesses in the Dallas Water Utilities service area) and customer cities. How much water is being used? What is the water used for? Dallas Water Utilities supplies around 470 million gallons per day to its customers. The average Dallas resident uses around 145 gallons of water per day for drinking, bathing, cooking, landscaping, etc. Half of Dallas’ residential water is used for residential landscaping. Dallas’ customer cities need both treated water (for human consumption) and untreated water (for irrigation). What has Dallas done to conserve more water? Since Dallas uses half of its water for landscaping, the City has enacted two different watering restrictions in an effort to conserve water. These restrictions include watering no more than twice a week and no watering during the hours of 10 am – 6 pm. These restrictions reduced water consumption by over 20%, or 130 million gallons per day (from almost 600 MGD to just under 470 MGD). The City of Dallas is also taking other measures to increase water conservation. One key initiative is focused on businesses. The City of Dallas will grant these businesses cash subsidies to meet water saving targets. In total, these 14 projects have saved between 90 million and 168 million gallons per year, or between 247 and 460 thousand gallons per day. The City of Dallas also already saves almost 20 million gallons a year through a project called “New Throne for your Home.” This project will replace residents’ old toilets for free. Dallas Water Utilities says it plans to use water usage data to target customers who will potentially qualify for free, minor plumbing repairs, which already saves the city 3 million gallons per year, or over 8,000 gallons per day. Even though it seems like each of these conservation projects do not save a considerable amount of water, water savings will add up and these projects will help Dallas save lots of water in the long run. What is the projected growth in demand? The current water demand is 470 million gallons per day, and by 2070, the water demand is projected to be 700 million gallons per day (a 70% increase). However, there are two factors that determine the demand: population and per person consumption. Population The current population that Dallas Water Utilities serves is 3.2 million. By 2070, this number will double to 6.4 million people. This represents an estimated 1.45% population growth per annum, which is slightly lower than the 1.6% per annum growth Dallas saw over the past few years. Despite the slightly lower per annum growth, the absolute population is still expected to double. Per person consumption Even though the population will double by 2070, Dallas’ water demand only goes up by 70%. The average Dallas resident currently uses almost 145 gallons per day. By 2070, the average resident is projected to use only 110 gallons, which is a 25% decrease from 50 years prior. This estimate is driven by continued conservation strategies to be implemented by both Dallas residents and Dallas Water Utilities’ customer cities. Image: Dallas water demand projections for the next 50 years. Sourced from: https://www.twdb.texas.gov/waterplanning/data/projections/2022/demandproj.asp

Background I started doing independent research, with the guidance of some of my teachers, about the water in Dallas June 2022. I decided to split my research into three categories: demand, supply, and risks/threats. After spending the month of June doing independent research to answer my questions within these three categories, I thought that I would reach out to people who would be very knowledgeable in this field. I reached out to reporters and journalists who had previously written about the water in Dallas to see if I could have a discussion with them. I also reached out to the City of Dallas, and two people working for Dallas Water Utilities responded to my request, and I had a great discussion with them. They helped me answer a lot of my critical outstanding questions. I spent the month of July continuing my research and preparing a summary of my findings along with my detailed notes. I also started a blog, which you are reading now. The two months I spent doing research led me to here, finally finishing my research report. Below is a summary and some of the most important findings/conclusions from my research. Summary Safety Dallas’ water is very safe. In fact, Dallas’ water is rated a “Superior Water System,” which is the highest rating given by the State of Texas for water quality. Dallas also recently won the Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 6 Environmental Excellence Award for Public Water Supply, which means that Dallas has some of the best drinking water within five states, including Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and New Mexico. Dallas’ water is tested between 40 and 50 thousand times per month, so the water quality is constantly being monitored. Sustainability Although Dallas’ current connected water supply will not last for more than 15 years, Dallas has a comprehensive plan to increase the water supply to make sure that the city has enough water for decades to come. Dallas’ plans to increase the water supply are outlined in the 500-page 2014 Long Range Water Supply Plan. Dallas’ projects to increase the water supply are already funded, and the first one is currently under construction. Additional risks No matter the quality of a water system, there are always going to be risks, both to the quality and quantity of the water. DWU currently does a great job of mitigating risks. However, there are still unknowns about whether or not Dallas will face similar issues as other places in the United States. Sourced from: https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/water-poll/index.cfm Findings/Conclusions Demand: driven by population growth, water demand expected to go up by 70% in the next 50 years. · Dallas uses 470 million gallons a day (MGD) among 3.2 million people for an average usage of of 145 gallons per person per day. · Dallas’ water is used by both residents and customer cities. · Dallas’ demand will go up to 700 MGD by 2070, but it will be split among 6.4 million people for an average usage of 110 gallons per person per day. · Dallas’ population growth will be around 1.45% per year, a slight decrease from the 1.6% growth per annum that Dallas saw the past few years. · Dallas’ current conservation efforts will help save over 100 million gallons per year, and future conservation efforts will help save even more water. Supply: new infrastructure to increase Dallas’ water supply to meet demand through 2070. · Dallas’ current water supply can sustainably produce over 500 MGD of clean water. · Dallas gets its water from seven sources, including six lakes, also called reservoirs (Lake Grapevine, Lake Lewisville, Lake Ray Hubbard, Lake Ray Roberts, Lake Fork, Lake Tawakoni) and one river system (Elm Fork of Trinity River). · Dallas’ 38.3 inches of yearly rainfall fill up Dallas’ reservoirs, and all of Dallas reservoirs, with the exception of Lake Fork are above 85% capacity. · By 2070, Dallas will complete four projects to increase the sustainable supply capacity from 500 MGD to 850 MGD, and these projects will cost over $1.8 billion. · Dallas has 3 different water treatment plants, 2 wastewater treatment plants, 22 pump stations, 15 wastewater pump stations, and 21 storage tanks. Dallas has over 5,000 miles of water main pipelines 4,000 miles of wastewater main pipelines, and 3,000 miles of storm drain pipelines. · Dallas is currently upgrading its old/existing infrastructure to make sure that it is effective for years to come. · Dallas uses chloramine (ozone), which is combination of chlorine and ammonia, to treat its water. Chloramine is safer than just chlorine because chlorine causes a reaction in the water that produces trihalomethanes, which are not good for humans. Risks/threats: no imminent risks, but concerns to stay on top of. · Dallas’ water is incredibly safe, but threats like in Flint, Michigan, where underfunded maintenance budgets and aged infrastructure allowed lead to seep into its water supply; threats like in Austin, Texas, where population increases outpaced existing wastewater treatment capacity, causing it to overflow into its clean water system; and threats like in Hinkley, California, where chemicals used to treat the water were actually toxic to humans can cast doubt on whether or not Dallas will face similar or other issues. · Questions below bring up issues that Dallas has a risk of facing. o Even though the FDA regulates safe levels for certain chemicals, are there certain unknown harmful effects of these chemicals? What is being done to ensure we continue to regulate the safety of the water above and beyond testing for known harmful chemicals? o Is DWU’s current operating budget sufficient to upgrade the existing infrastructure? o Is DWU’s future operating budget enough to maintain future infrastructure? o As climate change continues, what are the effects on the water supply? o Although the City of Dallas is being planful about its next steps, will there be any other unforeseen events that could put the water supply in jeopardy?

Sourced from: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/64577/how-do-water-towers-work Image: Water tower Introduction Driving around town, I keep noticing these large cylinder-shaped water towers dotted around the Dallas area. These towers are elevated water storage tanks. Through my research about the water in Dallas, I learned that there are 21 storage tanks serving Dallas residents: 9 elevated, and 12 underground. These storage tanks are used to maintain water pressure, to store emergency water supply, and to provide additional water to meet peak demands. Why are they cylindrical? I’ve often wondered why all of these storage tanks are cylindrically shaped. Come to find out, there are a number of reasons for this. The cylindrical shape is better to hold liquid because it is extremely stable. The shape allows the storage tank to withstand the outward pressure that the liquid puts on the walls. It provides both a low center of gravity and strength to withstand harsher weather, especially high-speed winds as the cylinder allows wind to pass quickly around the tank versus pushing into it. The cylindrical shape, in the long run, also reduces corrosion and leakages that would occur in shapes with sharp edges and corners. Sourced from: https://dallascityhall.com/departments/waterutilities/DCH%20Documents/pdf/ElevatedStorageTank_standards_Oct2012.pdf Image: Side and top views of an elevated water storage tank. What are some requirements of these storage tanks? There are many requirements for how these storage tanks must be built. In fact, Dallas has a 30-page document outlining exactly what requirements these storage tanks must meet. For both elevated and underground tanks, there are, vehicular access, security access and surveillance, drainage, tank design, SCADA (control system), disinfection, quality assurance, warranty, acceptance, and administrative requirements. One of the most important requirements is the storage capacity and water pressure requirements: both elevated and underground tanks must meet the storage and firefighting demands (including hydrants and sprinkler systems) of the service area. One of the requirements is that the tank must be able to supply 500 gallons of water per minute to its fire hydrants. Sourced from: https://chiefunderground.com/underground-fireline-services/fire-hydrant-installation/ Image: Fire hydrant in Dallas. Conclusion These storage tanks are the backup to the main water supply. Thanks to these storage tanks, Dallas was able to have running water through many storms that knocked out power in the Dallas area including: the winter storm of 2011, the winter storm of February 2021, the many tornados that occurred in the past few decades, and all of the smaller yet harsh storms. I originally thought that these water storage tanks were merely eyesores—which probably explains why over half of Dallas’ water storage tanks are underground—but after learning more about them, I realize they are extremely valuable and clearly much needed Sourced from: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/dallas-texas-electrical-power-outage-ercot-failures/287-50797307-0afe-43eb-8175-b78e7e4fc13a Image: Dallas in the midst of the February 2021 winter storm that knocked out power for almost 10 days.

As part of my research, I reached out to many journalists and reporters who had previously written about the state of the water in Dallas to learn more about their findings. I also reached out to the City of Dallas to see if I could talk with someone who would be very knowledgeable about what Dallas is doing to prepare for projected water demand. I reached out to Alicia Lee, the Water Conservation Manager of Dallas, and she responded to my request to have a discussion. In addition, Denis Qualls, who is entering his 20th year as superintendent of the Planning Division of Dallas Water agreed to meet with me as well. Denis Qualls helps lead the planning for water related projects in Dallas and Alicia Lee works with her team to strategize ways to conserve water. After spending the majority of my summer conducting independent research about the City of Dallas Water, I still had some other critical questions that I still needed to find answers to. I thought that there would be no better way to find the answers and learn more about Dallas water than to talk to people who are experts about it. Below are the highlights of my questions and of our discussion. How safe is the water in Dallas? Through my previous research, I learned that Dallas’ water is rated as a superior water system, which is the highest rating given by the state of Texas for water quality. After my discussion with Denis Qualls and Alicia Lee, I learned that Dallas tests its water about 45,000 times per month, or almost 63 tests per minute. These tests meet all of the testing requirements set by the FDA, and the city also exceeds these requirements by doing extra testing for other toxins/contaminants that are not on the FDA’s list. Dallas’ water is some of the highest quality water accessible within the region. It appears that Dallas’ water is very safe. What is Dallas doing about the new risk of forever chemicals? PFAS is a microscopic and toxic forever chemical. As more research about this toxin is being published, more and more negative effects of this chemical are being revealed. These effects include increased cholesterol, increased likelihood of cancer, decreased vaccination response in children, changes in liver enzymes, increased blood pressure in pregnant women, and decreased newborn weight. Once this chemical gets into the water supply or in your blood, it is extremely hard to eliminate, and it will stay for a very long time and does not degrade easily, hence the name ‘forever chemical’. According to Denis Qualls, “we are testing for PFAS regularly, and there is less than 1 part per trillion [of PFAS] in our water.” The EPA health advisory for PFAS is 70 parts per trillion, and Dallas has 3 parts per trillion, or less than one drop of PFAS in 21 million gallons of water. Image: water testing done by the City of Dallas. Will Dallas run out of water? Dallas currently gets its water from seven lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, and based on Dallas Water Utilities’ forecasts, Dallas' current water supply will sustain water demand through 2030, and these water supplies will be exhausted in 2035. The seven lakes/reservoirs and rivers that supply Dallas with water are highlighted in blue below. Sourced from: https://www.punctualplumberdallas.com/blog/where-does-our-water-come-from/ Through my original independent research, it was unclear whether or not the City of Dallas has a plan to increase our water supply because I had read in an article titled The Last Drop (posted on the Texas Monthly), that Dallas will run out of water in 2035. However, the City of Dallas plans to connect two more lakes, connect one more river, and reuse a considerably higher amount of water by constructing a reservoir. These projects are already funded and are under construction. Dallas’ current project is called the Integrated Pipeline Project. Slated for a 2027 completion, the 9-foot-wide pipeline will connect Lake Palestine (located Southeast of Tyler, Texas) to the Dallas water supply. This project will provide over 100 million gallons per day to the Dallas water supply, and it will help Dallas meet the rising water demand through 2050. The next project is called Indirect Reuse through a Balancing Reservoir. This reservoir will store discharged non-potable water from the wastewater treatment plants and allow Dallas to treat the water and then use the water as needed. This project will be completed by 2050. The next two projects will connect the Neches River, which runs south out of lake Palestine, and Lake Columbia, which is located 30 miles east of Lake Palestine. Since there is already a pipeline from Lake Palestine to Dallas, the water from the Neches River and Lake Columbia will go into that same pipeline, and then head back to Dallas. These two projects will be completed by 2060 and 2070 respectively. Together, these four projects will increase the water supply by 70% (from 500 million gallons per day to 850). Sourced from: https://www.dallascityhall.com/departments/waterutilities/DCH%20Documents/2014_LRWSP_Final_Report_all_11302015.pdf Image: projected water supply until 2070. The red line represents raw water demand, and the colored sections represent the daily quantity of water supplied by different projects. Sourced from: https://www.trwd.com/20249-2/ Image: inside a section of the 100-mile pipeline created in the IPL. What are we doing to conserve water? Dallas uses half of its water for landscaping, and the City has enacted two different watering restrictions in an effort to conserve water. These restrictions include watering no more than twice a week and no watering during the hours of 10 am – 6 pm. These restrictions reduced water consumption by over 20%, or 130 million gallons per day (from almost 600 MGD to just under 470 MGD). The City of Dallas is also taking other measures to increase water conservation. One key initiative is focused on businesses. The City of Dallas will grant these businesses cash subsidies to meet water saving targets. In total, these 14 projects have saved between 90 million and 168 million gallons per year, or between 247 and 460 thousand gallons per day. The City of Dallas also already saves almost 20 million gallons a year through a project called “New Throne for your Home.” This project will replace residents’ old toilets for free. Dallas Water Utilities says it plans to use water usage data to target customers who will potentially qualify for free, minor plumbing repairs, which already saves the city 3 million gallons per year, or over 8,000 gallons per day. Even though it seems like each of these conservation projects do not save a considerable amount of water, water savings will add up and these projects will help Dallas save lots of water in the long run. Other Highlights/Conclusion Coming out of this discussion, I felt more secure about Dallas’ water supply. Denis Qualls and Alicia Lee told me that Dallas Water Utilities always prepares for the worse-case scenario. After asking so many questions and receiving quick and succinct answers, I realized that Denis Qualls and Alicia Lee, among many others in the City and at Dallas Water Utilities, have already discussed the issues I raised, and they have created plans to resolve them. In fact, they readily shared their 500-page water supply plan with me, which is titled 2014 Long Range Water Supply Plan. The City is working on updating their water supply plan, and it will be released in 2023/2024. The City of Dallas seems to be very planful about how it can preserve the quantity and quality of Dallas’ water for now and for future decades. It is great to know that our leaders have our daily necessities as their priority.

I visited a great exhibit called the Urban Watershed, which just opened up in Fort Worth. It is run by Dr. Adrian Parr, former University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) professor, who put together the exhibit with some of the students who attend UTA. This exhibit was previously on display in Europe, and is currently on display here until August 2022 at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History before it will be on display in other North Texas cities. I visited this exhibit a couple weeks ago, and it presented lots of interesting ideas, including the idea benefiting residents by creating practical green space. It also presented current and future projects that create a perfect mix of practical water supply and human enjoyment. The exhibit showed a project that had turned a run-down reservoir into a clean park, so it could supply water and be a peaceful place for its residents to enjoy. Another panel showed the deliberate planning of the City of Lewisville, Texas. It showed an area that was set aside to be a park 70 years ago (shown in the blue outline below), and how even through development and urbanism, the park area was preserved and then developed into a green space for residents to enjoy. Image: City of Lewisville developing around an area set aside to be a public park Image: zoning map of Southwest area of Lewisville. The green shading represents developed green space areas/parks. The Urban Watershed exhibit presented an idea about a hybrid rain panel, which is a type of roof that combines pervious and impervious surfaces to reduce roof runoff and capture water into a rainwater tank. This invention makes it possible for residents to capture rainwater themselves using a low maintenance system. The panels can be installed on existing roofs. These panels are still a new idea, so they are pretty expensive. Scientists will continue to improve the panels with one of their goals being to make them more affordable. These panels could help residents capture lots of water, which could possibly give some residents their own independent water supply. They would lower water bills and lower biogas emissions (biogas is highly toxic, flammable, and potentially explosive). Image: the several layers that go into the hybrid rain panel. Urban Watershed also presented an idea about creating a new park called Harold Simmons Park. After the Trinity River’s course river level changed due to storms and natural disasters previous to development of Harold Simmons Park, the water levels have been relatively inconsistent. The park will replenish the Trinity River as needed by helping to control flooding into the river. This flooding would help create a more consistent water level of the Trinity, which would improve wildlife health and create a more consistent water supply. This would help Dallas because Dallas gets some of its water from the river. Runoff of the Trinity River also helps supply Houston, so the park would help Houston maintain a consistent water supply as well. These new and innovative ideas would be good for other cities to implement because there are so many benefits to the city and its residents, including helping the city continue to be planful about managing its water supply while beautifying the city for its residents.

My name is John Householder, and I am a rising sophomore at St. Mark’s School of Texas located in Dallas. I am 15 years old, and I am very interested in the global water crisis. My interest in water came from a few experiences including: · Having to find and purify water during my scout campouts. · Facing a “boil water notice” while at a volleyball tournament in a big city like Austin. · Noticing how Dallas’ tap water tastes different during different times of the year making me wonder “is this water safe to drink?” · Going without water during a winter freeze that broke some pipes in our house and not knowing when our water would be available again causing me to wonder how people go without a reliable source of water elsewhere in the world. This summer, I am researching the water in my home city of Dallas. I got together with a few of my teachers and a couple people who work for my city to enhance my online research about the water in Dallas, more specifically, the supply, demand, and threats to our water supply. I am learning a lot of interesting information and I am very excited to record my experiences and findings while doing this research. For now, I plan on posting here twice monthly. I hope you enjoy my journey into learning if the water in Dallas is safe, and if there is enough supply to sustain our city over the next decades to come. I hope it also helps you ponder if the water in your city is safe, and if there is enough to sustain your community for decades to come. And lastly, I hope it raises our collective interests in understanding how to ensure the water is safe in all communities across the globe, and what we can do to help stem the global water crisis by first starting in our local communities.