As North Texas grows in population, so do concerns about water and whether there will be enough of it.
Urmi Subramanian, of Frisco, decided against putting a pool in her yard because of water concerns. She has watched the population explode in her area in her 20-plus years there.
"How long are we going to be able to provide this kind of water for such a growing population in this area?" said Subramanian.
The North Texas Municipal Water Division is thinking long-term. It estimates water demands will increase 1.5 times over the next 40 years. In 2015 the North Texas population was 1,600,000, and by 2040 officials believe it will be 2,500,000.
"Water is something that is often overlooked. People take it for granted," said Tom Kula, with the North Texas Municipal Water District.
The water district has plans for a reservoir in Fannin County, the Lower Bois d’Ark Creek Reservoir, which would supply water to North Texas.
"We need it for demand. We have been planning it for 20 years," added Kula.
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U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson, R-TX, thinks the reservoir is being delayed because of bureaucratic red tape. So he has a bill out to make the project exempt from the Clean Water Act, which would then essentially bypass approval from the Environmental Protection Agency. His office adds that water quality is already regulated by state and federal regulations.
The EPA does not comment on legislation before Congress.
