Did you know this happened? On Thursdsay, March 7, 2024 it became 'Go Purple Day' in ATX! The Austin City Council authorized many measures that will help utilize reuse systems + reclaimed water connections (purple pipes). The Go Purple program is expected to help preserve the Austin area resources while we face climate change, extreme drought and population growth in our communities.
The Austin Water Go Purple program will increase the use of reclaimed water in and around Austin to make water usage more sustainable. It includes installing Onsite Water Reuse Systems (OWRS) and connecting Austin's reclaimed water system to use for non-drinking water purposes for flushing toilets, irrigation and cooling towers.
Are you thinking? Great, but where are the Go Purple funds coming from to pay for it? It's funded through a new Community Benefit Charge (CBC) and a voluntary rate dedicated to water reuse. The CBC fee is set at .15 per thousand gallons, which should generate around $10 million yearly. Looks like the average increase to the bill is $1.47 per month. Customer Assistant Programs (CPAs) are not expected to be affected.
Find out how the Go Purple pipeline puts the $1.47 a month extra to good use for making Austin's water usage more sustainable here! 6 Million Gallons of WATER is expected to be saved with daily onsite reuse! Looks and sounds like a 1Thing Win in the works!