State council recognizes Horseshoe Bay’s water conservation efforts
In part due to its smart water meter program, the city of Horseshoe Bay won recognition from the Texas Water Development Board's Save Texas Water conservation advisory council. Courtesy photo
The city of Horseshoe Bay received a Blue Legacy Award from the Texas Water Development Board’s Save Texas Water conservation advisory council.
The city was presented the honor during a virtual ceremony March 18. The presentation will be broadcast March 30.
Horseshoe Bay won the award for Retail Wholesale Municipal cities with populations of 10,000 or less.
Utilities Director Jeff Koska told the City Council about the award during its regular meeting March 16.
“It’s pride in what we’ve been doing for the last six years in water conservation, that we’re getting recognized for our efforts we’re putting into the community,” he said. “To be recognized as a leader in the Highland Lakes is humbling.”
The Blue Legacy Awards honor communities and businesses committed to conserving water and showcase success stories to encourage others to follow similar practices.
During drought conditions from 2011 to 2015, Horseshoe Bay officials looked for ways to balance more efficient water use with maintaining the city’s natural beauty.
One way was replacing manual water meters with smart versions with software that residents can use to keep an eye on their usage, detect leaks, and prevent unexpectedly high bills.
The utilities department also uses the WaterSmart software to target specific residents with conservation messaging.