More on Water Quality

A comprehensive Water Quality Management Plan has been developed by the LRGVDC with assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). As part of this project, the LRGVDC mapped wastewater service areas and facilities in the three-county region.

Education and outreach are very important components in addressing water quality issues and increasing public awareness towards water quality. The Arroyo Colorado Watershed Protection Plan will be used to guide in the activities.

Maintaining water quality standards is crucial for local communities dependant upon surface water. Water quality is affected by pollution in two primary ways: from specific "point sources," such as wastewater treatment plants, and from nonspecific - or "nonpoint" - sources, such as contaminants that wash off from urban lawns, parking lots, and agricultural fields during rain falls.

The TCEQ's Clean Rivers Program provides the opportunity to approach water quality issues within a watershed or river basin at the local and regional level through coordinated efforts among diverse agencies and various programs. Click here for more information on the Clean Rivers Program.

Regulations help control pollution from point sources; changes in behavior are the best way to control pollution from nonpoint sources. Fortunately the TCEQ has information and funding available to help communities learn about and implement measures they can take to reduce runoff pollution.

Click here for a list of useful links addressing water quality issues. Additionally, water quality outreach material is available from the LRGVDC. Please contact us for details

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