Authors

Haley Varnadoe

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-2022

Journal Title

University of Denver Water Law Review

ISSN

1521-3455

Abstract

Texas will need to adapt to a drier climate and reduced water supplyin the 21st centuiyas the negative hydological effects ofclimnate change continue. Rising temperatures will accelerate evaporation of surface water resources, which in turn both increases rehance on depletable groundwater resources and decreases the amount of surface water available for aquifer rechaige. As a result, Texans who rely on either groundwater or suiface water to meet their domestic water needs-particularlyt hose in rurala id regions-mays uffer as both quantities decrease in the coming decades. The practice ofdomestic water reuse presents one solution to a decreasing water supply by safely treating wastewater and creating a sustainable source of water to inigate a household's garden or landscape without placing additional demand on exisung water supplies. The pactice of water reuse is by no means a new development; however; the primay focus has been city-level reuse and not household practices. iUs Article seeks to badge the information gap by highhghting and discussing the authorities relevant to domestic water reuse in Texas, including title 30, chapter 210 of the Texas Administrative Code and the water allocation doctrines ofprior appropriation and rule of capture. This Article finds those authorities to be lavorable to individual water reuse, howeve; this Article argues for regulatory and statutory amendments that will encourage and incentivize domestic water reuse. Amendments are essential if Texas wishes to make domestic water reuse-and drought-hardy sources of water-accessible to households in rural avid regions of Texas, where water reuse will undoubtedly be of great importance in the corning decades.

First Page

187

Last Page

225

Num Pages

39

Issue Number

2

Publisher

University of Denver College of Law

FIle Type

PDF

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