NTMWD logs 123.1 billion gallons in annual water demand as growth pushes three cities to new minimums

NTMWD logs 123.1 billion gallons in annual water demand as growth pushes three cities to new minimumsAbove-average rainfall prevented the North Texas Municipal Water District from setting a new consumption record in the 2025-2026 water year, though steady per-capita usage amid regional expansion forced Farmersville, Princeton, and Rockwall to establish higher annual minimums.

NTMWD recorded 123.1 billion gallons of total consumption for the 2025-2026 water year, ranking as the third-highest on record.

Member cities accounted for 78% of the total demand, while customer demand made up the remaining 22%.

Farmersville, Princeton, and Rockwall exceeded their existing annual minimums, establishing new, higher minimums for future water years.

A projected "Super El Niño" is expected to bring wetter-than-average conditions during the upcoming winter months, potentially bolstering reservoir levels.

The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) recorded its third-highest annual water consumption on record during the 2025-2026 water year, driven by sustained regional growth that pushed three member cities to establish new annual minimums. During an August 27 board meeting, Director of Water Resources Galen Roberts reported that total consumption reached 123.1 billion gallons for the water year ending in July. While high, the figure fell short of the 126.7 billion-gallon record set the previous year. The district has set new consumption records in four of the last five years. Roberts attributed the failure to break the record this year entirely to weather, noting that above-average rainfall—including 22.6 inches between January and July—significantly reduced residential outdoor water use during the summer months. However, the district's five-year running average for per-capita daily use has remained flat, indicating that overall volume increases are being driven strictly by population growth rather than changes in user behavior. This growth had direct administrative impacts: Farmersville, Princeton, and Rockwall all exceeded their existing annual consumption minimums, locking in new, higher minimums for future water years. Member cities accounted for 78% of the total 123.1 billion gallons consumed, with wholesale customers making up the remaining 22%. Looking ahead, Roberts noted that demands began ticking back up in late summer, but a projected "Super El Niño" weather pattern is expected to bring wetter-than-average conditions between October and March, which should benefit the district's reservoir levels. In separate infrastructure updates, the Executive Director announced the completion of an operations building improvement project at the Muddy Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project, tied to a recent expansion of the facility, included the construction of a new 1,700-square-foot operations building and the renovation of 600 square feet of existing space.