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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, At a time of prolonged statewide drought, the |
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| 6 | 7 | | availability and sustainability of water resources is an issue of |
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| 7 | 8 | | ever more pressing concern, especially as population growth is set |
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| 8 | 9 | | to place greater stress on water supplies in the coming years; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, The Texas Water Development Board has estimated that |
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| 10 | 11 | | the state's demand for water will increase by 22 percent by 2060, |
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| 11 | 12 | | from around 18 million acre-feet to 22 million acre-feet, and that |
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| 12 | 13 | | existing water supplies will decrease by about 10 percent, from |
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| 13 | 14 | | approximately 17 million acre-feet to 15.3 million acre-feet; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, One of the most cost-effective solutions to this |
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| 15 | 16 | | challenge is water conservation, which includes not only the |
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| 16 | 17 | | reduction of overall demand for water but also the increased |
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| 17 | 18 | | efficiency of water systems; a poll conducted in 2014 by the Texas |
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| 18 | 19 | | Water Foundation found that close to half of respondents were aware |
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| 19 | 20 | | of the anticipated shortage, but only 30 percent felt that they were |
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| 20 | 21 | | doing everything they could to eliminate unnecessary water use; and |
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| 21 | 22 | | WHEREAS, The Water Conservation Advisory Council was created |
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| 22 | 23 | | in 2007 to build a repository of best conservation practices and to |
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| 23 | 24 | | report biennially to the legislature on water conservation efforts; |
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| 24 | 25 | | the 2010 State Water Plan projects that 8.3 million acre-feet of |
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| 25 | 26 | | additional water supply will be required by 2060, and a number of |
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| 26 | 27 | | strategies have been put forth to help lessen this deficit, |
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| 27 | 28 | | including increased energy efficiency, reservoir development, |
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| 28 | 29 | | desalination, water reuse, and smart water management; and |
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| 29 | 30 | | WHEREAS, Some regional water plans also set ambitious targets |
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| 30 | 31 | | for improvement in order to match water demand with water supply; in |
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| 31 | 32 | | addition, most cities are required by state law to prepare written |
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| 32 | 33 | | water conservation plans, and several have adopted exemplary |
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| 33 | 34 | | programs to this end; and |
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| 34 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Education about water-saving habits and practices |
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| 35 | 36 | | is key to reducing the consumption of water by consumers, |
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| 36 | 37 | | municipalities, and agricultural and industrial enterprises; |
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| 37 | 38 | | taking the lead in providing such education are the Texas Water |
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| 38 | 39 | | Development Board, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, |
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| 39 | 40 | | the Parks and Wildlife Department, the Department of Agriculture, |
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| 40 | 41 | | the Texas Water Foundation, and the Water Conservation Advisory |
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| 41 | 42 | | Council; moreover, groundwater conservation districts, water |
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| 42 | 43 | | utilities, irrigation districts, river authorities, communities, |
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| 43 | 44 | | businesses, nonprofit organizations, and individuals are involved |
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| 44 | 45 | | in this vital initiative as well; and |
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| 45 | 46 | | WHEREAS, Ensuring an adequate water supply for our growing |
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| 46 | 47 | | population is a goal made possible with the support of every Texas |
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| 47 | 48 | | citizen, business, and organization, and the observance of Texas |
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| 48 | 49 | | Water Conservation Day reminds us of the need to remain diligent in |
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| 49 | 50 | | our stewardship of this precious and finite resource; now, |
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| 50 | 51 | | therefore, be it |
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| 51 | 52 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 52 | 53 | | Legislature hereby recognize March 26, 2015, as Texas Water |
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| 53 | 54 | | Conservation Day at the State Capitol and urge all Texans to learn |
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| 54 | 55 | | more about the steps they can take to reduce water usage in their |
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| 55 | 56 | | daily lives. |
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