Texas on Tap - Winter 2019

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Interview with Senator Charles Perry Chairman of the Senate Water and Rural Affairs Committee

Also Inside: 10 Things That Impact Your Water Rates Five Reasons to Drink Tap Over Bottled Water

Your Texas Rural Water News Source Texas Rural Water Association | www.trwa.org | (512) 472-8591

How Does Bottled Water Measure Up? Five Reasons to Choose Tap Bottled or tap? It seems like a simple question, but do you know the answer? More than $100 billion is spent each year on bottled water around the world, so at that steep price you might assume the bottled version is worth the cost. In most cases you would be wrong.

In the U.S., consumers are better served by simply turning on the tap and drinking the water provided by their local water system. Read on for the top five reasons to choose tap over bottled water.

1. It saves you money: Bottled water costs at least 1,000 times more per gallon than tap water, and 25 percent of bottled water is really just tap water in a bottle, sometimes treated further and sometimes not.

2. It’s better for the environment: Millions of tons of plastic bottles are clogging our landfills and it takes 1.63 liters of water to make every liter of bottled water.

3. It’s safer than bottled water: Tap water is typically safer than bottled water because it is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, whereas bottled water is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Tap water must be disinfected, filtered to remove pathogens and tested for cryptosporidium and giardia viruses. Bottled water does not have to be. Although both are tested for bacteria and most synthetic organic chemicals, tap water’s purity and safety are assessed more frequently.

4. It assures quality: All tap water suppliers must provide annual quality reports to their customers. Regulation of bottled water in most states does not require assurances to customers of either purity or safety.

5. It’s healthier: Chemicals in plastic bottles can leach over time into the water, especially when the water has been stored in the bottle over a period of time.

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These are just some of the many reasons to choose thetap over cracking the cap of a bottled water. Learn more about this topic at the following links: •

Natural Resource Defense Council: www.nrdc.org/ stories/truth-about-tap

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National Geographic: https://news.nationalgeographic. com/news/2010/03/100310/why-tap-water-is-better/

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Money Crashers: https://www.moneycrashers.com/ bottled-water-vs-tap-water-facts/

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Environmental Working Group: www.ewg.org/ research/your-bottled-water-worth-it/bottle-vs-tapdouble-standard

10 Things That Impact Your Water Rates When it comes to our water utility service, most people are simply concerned with three things: is it on, is it safe and how much is it costing me? Your water utility takes care of the first two items behind the scenes, but the third item is what you see in the mail every month. You may wonder—why does my water cost what it does?

There are many factors that play into the service, quality and quantity of drinking water you receive from your local utility, and they all impact the rate you pay for it.

Here are 10 things you may not realize impact your water rate: 1) Regulations: The water and wastewater industry is heavily regulated for the sake of safety. Your water utility must comply with hundreds of regulations that require a lot of time, equipment and expertise, all of which cost money.

2) Capital Improvements: The concept of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” doesn’t apply here. Proper planning to meet growth demands, complying with capacity requirements and replacing aging infrastructure is a best management practice and saves money in the long run.

3) Electricity: It takes power to run the pumps and operate the treatment processes to provide the quality and pressure required.

4) Water Supply: It is costly to drill wells, obtain regulatory approvals and permits or purchase water from a wholesale provider.

5) Facilities: A basic groundwater system with one well needs a pumping well, pressure and/or storage tank(s), chemicals and injection equipment, and a building and site to place everything. These can run over a million dollars.

Utilities that have multiple well sites and/or pump and treat surface water have invested many millions to provide safe water to its customers.

6) Treatment: Treatment of water varies depending on the geographical location in the state, as well as the type and location of water being treated. Regardless, every water utility must treat to the acceptable levels provided in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Act and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s regulations.

7) Personnel: Utilities employ general managers, operators and administrative staff. Water and wastewater operators are specialized professionals trained to safeguard the public they serve. To attract and retain excellent staff, utilities must pay competitive wages.

8) Technology: Technological advancements have been made to provide accurate, real-time data for water utilities in areas such as water conservation, water quality monitoring and smart meter technology for better service to customers. It has also allowed the opportunity for many systems to accept credit cards, do business through websites and have online bill pay.

9) Future Water Supply: Texas averages around 350,000 new residents each year. Identifying options and making the necessary steps toward obtaining and securing water for continual service to current and new customers plays a big part in how rates are set.

10) Communication: Your utility is a phone call away.

Whether in the office or after hours, communication has allowed for faster response times to resolve outages and issues in the system.

Though necessary for everyday life, the price you pay for water is likely a small percentage of what you pay for many of the other modern conveniences we have available to us.

So, the next time you look at your water bill, think of all the things that go into bringing safe, flowing drinking water into your home or business each and every day. The price you pay for your water service is an investment in a strong, safe and sustainable water system that is necessary for the future sustainability of your community.

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Interview with Senator Charles Perry, Chairman of the Senate Water and Rural Affairs Committee Senator Charles Perry represents Texas Senate District 28.1 As the Chairman of the Senate Water and Rural Affairs Committee, he is the state’s leader on water policy issues in the Texas Senate. Former Senator J.E. “Buster” Brown posed these questions to Chairman Perry, and what follows is a very interesting conversation.

Brown: First of all, tell us about yourself — where you live, what you do for a living and about your family.

Perry: I was born and raised in West Texas. I grew up in Sweetwater and left to attend Texas Tech University. I graduated with a degree in Accounting and Management Information and met my wonderful wife, Jacklyn, there. We have two great kids, Jordan and Matthew, and I now have three grandchildren that I love to spoil. I currently own and operate a CPA firm in Lubbock.

After no longer wanting to sit on the sidelines, feeling our country was moving in the wrong direction, I ran for the Texas House in 2010 and won. After serving two terms, I ran in a special election for the Texas Senate and was honored to receive a chair as a freshman. I currently serve as the chair of the Senate Committee on Water and Rural Affairs. I also serve as Vice-Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee and sit as a member of the Finance Committee, Agriculture Committee, Criminal Justice Committee and Transportation Committee.

1. Texas Senate District 28 is comprised of Baylor, Borden, Childress, Coke, Coleman, Concho, Cottle, Crane, Crosby, Dawson, Dickens, Eastland, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Garza, Hale, Hardeman, Haskell, Hockley, Irion, Jones, Kent, Kimble, King, Knox, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Mitchell, Motley, Nolan, Reagan, Runnels, Schleicher, Scurry, Shackelford, Stephens, Sterling, Stonewall, Sutton, Taylor (30%), Terry, Throckmorton, Tom Green, Upton, Ward, and Wilbarger counties.

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Brown: The Senate rules recently changed the name of your Committee by dropping the word Agriculture and renaming it “Water and Rural Affairs.” What is the significance of this change?

Perry: I think our leadership recognizes that there is directed attention needed to be given to our vital resources, water included. Water continues to be the driver for all industries in Texas. Agriculture, manufacturing, construction, oil and gas, and more all depend on access to water to continue to grow. Additionally, the split recognizes the importance of agriculture and water and their connection to rural Texas.

Our state is in a constant trade-off between flooding and drought, and it is important for us to manage those changes while protecting private property. We have the opportunity to develop policy that will ensure that we have the necessary tools for our grandchildren to thrive.

Brown: In general, what do you see as the major water issues for the Session?

Perry: During the interim, Texas experienced one of the worst flooding events in the country following the landfall of Hurricane Harvey. The following year, we once again had several flooding episodes, specifically in Sonora and Junction, located in my Senate District.

I have filed SB 396 which will begin the process of creating a statewide flood plan overseen by the Texas Water Development Board. The plan will be a collaborative process and eliminate the patchwork of projects process we currently have in the state. Local communities will come together across watersheds so that one does not negatively impact their neighbor. The projects will be ranked with weight given to emergency status, federal matching funds opportunities and water supply development.

Additionally, Texas must continue to develop new water supply strategies and expand on those that have substantial yield. While Texas is experiencing less drought than before, we expect episodes of low water supply. In order to continue the state's growth and economic success, we must take a proactive role through aquifer storage and recovery, and other supply development strategies.

Brown: Rural areas of Texas continue to provide food and fiber for Texas and, in some cases, the world. How does Texas’ future water supply guarantee that continued production?

Perry: Texas has a water supply problem. The population is expected to increase 70 percent between 2020 and 2070 to 51 million while water demand is expected to increase by 17 percent. The development of new water sources and enhancement of current supplies is critical to keep our state running. I have advocated sound science backing when looking for new water sources, which includes studying the brackish supply that can be tapped to use for production purposes. We also have the opportunity to mitigate floods with water supply projects.

Perry: Most of my constituents are directly affected by changes made by rural water utilities. It is important that we work collaboratively to make sure customers are not overwhelmed by change and that the water utilities continue to thrive.

Former Senator J.E. “Buster” Brown served in the Texas Senate for two decades, Chaired the Senate Natural Resources Committee and authored SB1 and SB2.

Brown: Do you see any “new” water sources on the horizon for Texas?

Perry: I think we have a big opportunity with our flood plan legislation and subsequent State Flood Plan to deliver flood mitigation and planning projects which can also serve as a water source. I also plan to file legislation to update the water availability models so that we can accurately permit our water sources with the best available data.

Texas must continue to be innovative with water desalination on seawater and groundwater. Seawater desalination is included in the 2017 State Water Plan 12 times with 10 projects producing 116,000 acre-feet per year of water by 2070. Several seawater desalination projects are in their beginning stages. Brackish groundwater strategies make up 111,000 acre-feet of new water by 2070 in the State Water Plan. With the backing of adequate mapping of our brackish groundwater, Texas can be innovative in our efforts to encourage the use of brackish groundwater for production purposes.

Brown: What do you see as the greatest challenges for Texas rural water utilities?

Perry: I think there are several issues facing rural water utilities. Similar to other industries such as oil and gas, our rural water industry could see a workforce shortage. It will be important, as with all industries, to continue to train and retrain Texas workers. Additionally, we must continue to work with rural water utilities to make sure they are operating to the best of their abilities as populations grow and to provide quality and affordable water in a time of competing service areas with multiple providers.

Ninety-four percent of water utilities nationwide are rural or small municipal systems. In Texas, some of these utilities serve small communities off the beaten path where service would otherwise not be available.

Others now serve a combination of rural and suburban areas due to urban sprawl.

Collectively, these systems provide water to millions of rural Texans daily.

Rural water suppliers include nonprofit water supply corporations, water districts, small-town water departments and for-profit investorowned utilities. The presence of these systems is what makes life in rural Texas possible—they provide access to a reliable water source, treat that water to meet regulatory standards, make improvements to rural infrastructure and bolster the local economy.

To support efforts at the Texas Capitol, Texas Rural Water Association has launched the “Water for All Texans: Keeping Water Affordable and Accessible for all Texans” campaign to educate the public about two important issues that impact rural water utilities and their customers. Learn more about this campaign and how to get involved at www.waterforalltexans.com.

Brown: In particular, what do you see as the most important issue for customers of rural water utilities?

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Best Practices for Staying Secure Online As more people and businesses use online services, they become more vulnerable to cyber criminals and hackers.

Your water utility abides by certain practices to best protect the utility and its customers’ information, but there are additional measures you can take to minimize your risk.

Credit Card Processing: Although your water system’s billing processes are Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliant, incorporating a few practices into your daily routine can help keep your cards and account numbers safe. For example, keep a record of your account numbers, their expiration dates and the phone number to report fraud for each company in a secure place.

Do your best to only use established businesses that you can contact easily if there’s an issue. Look for sites with “https:” in their web addresses — as the “s” stands for secured. Even if you’re on a secured site, don’t share your information unless you have to and you know how it will be used.

Furthermore, don’t share your account information with anyone via phone or email unless you’ve made the call to a company you know to be reputable. Avoid sharing this information via email unless you have encrypted it in a reliable way.

Identifying Spam and Scams: Phishing is a type of online scam where you receive an email that appears to be from a legitimate company or individual, but instead is a scam intended to solicit sensitive information from you in one way or another. This is usually done by providing a link to what appears to be a reputable website but is really a façade and the information you provide instead ends up in the wrong hands.

More sophisticated scams include using the names of recognizable colleagues who are likely not to be in the office, requests to update account information or fraudulent links to share documents or information. To protect yourself from phishing scams, here are a few things you can do: • Review the email address – Is it actually coming from a credible address, or is the display just piggybacking on a trustworthy organization or individual? If the email is not addressed to you specifically, pay closer attention to the text and context of the email. Sometimes the reply path email address is different than the sending email address, which is another great indicator that the email is fraudulent.

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• Confirm credibility – Before making any purchases or agreements, confirm details through a second communication channel (phone, text or in-person confirmation). Often, repeated grammatical errors and resistance to further or different communication indicate foul play. If sentences or word placement do not make sense, or the wrong words are capitalized throughout the body of the email, stop skimming and pay closer attention.

Best Practices for Cyber Users: Here are a few general tips to help ensure your sensitive information stays out of the wrong hands: • Identify your most sensitive accounts, such as your bank account, and be intentional about elevating their security.

• Use “$tr0ng3R” passwords and update them regularly.

There are several smartphone apps you can use to securely store your passwords.

• Equip yourself for success by layering your protection: A password is the first line of defense against cybercriminals. When possible, use multifactor authentication (security systems that require more than one method of authentication from independent categories of credentials to verify the user's identity for a login or other transaction) for an added layer of protection.

• Keep your operating system, browser and other critical software up to date with the latest security patches to minimize vulnerabilities.

• Be cautious of what you share and engage with on public Wi-Fi; limit the amount of personal information you share online or elsewhere.

• Monitor your accounts regularly, respond to fraud alerts and report unauthorized transactions promptly.

• Avoid clicking website pop-up ads or bad links. Before clicking on anything stop, think and check if it is expected, valid and trusted. If you accidentally engage with a fraudulent website, use the task manager to kill the process. If you are unable to do this, hard restart your device.

All consumers should stay alert and reduce their likelihood of an attack by proceeding with caution — there’s no magic solution to avoiding breaches of cybersecurity, but the more safeguards you take, the better.

Spot the Differences!

Plants, animals and communities depend on a clean and plentiful water supply.

Can you find all differences in the following pictures? Find the key at the bottom of the page!

Test Your Knowledge: Water IQ Quiz 1. How many gallons (or liters) of water are wasted in an average home each year due to leaky household pipes?

A) 3,000 B) 5,000 C) 9,000 D) 11,000 2. What generally accounts for the greatest use of household water?

A) Landscaping B) Shower C) Dishwasher

D) Washing Machine

3. How many gallons does the average washing machine use per load?

A) 8 B) 25 C) 41

D) 64

4. True or False: Taking a bath saves more water than taking a shower.

Test Your Knowledge Key: 1) D 2) A 3) C 4) False. It usually takes about 70 gallons to fill a bathtub, while a fiveminute shower uses 10 to 25 gallons. [Source: nationalgeographic.com/environment/quizzes/saving-water-quiz] Differences Key (Left to Right) 1) One fewer barn window 2) Bush moved further left 3) Mallard duck is swimming opposite direction 4) Blonde boy is wearing green shirt 5) Chicken on boy's head is gone 6) Striped socks are now purple 7) Boulder in background is now gone 8) Cow has no horns 9) Cow has two fewer spots 10) One fewer rocks Texas on Tap — Winter 2019 7

Texas Rural Water Association

1616 Rio Grande | Austin, Texas 78701

Texas on Tap Published by Texas Rural Water Association 1616 Rio Grande, Austin, TX 78701 www.trwa.org

Keeping Water Affordable and Accessible for All Texans

TRWA Editorial Staff Lara Zent, Editor in Chief Allison Kaminsky, Managing Editor Kelsey Copeland, Art Director

Questions?

General correspondences should be directed to your utility office.

Editorial inquiries may be directed TRWA Communications Staff at (512) 472-8591 or editor@trwa.org On the cover: Laguna Madre; Photo credit: Angela Russell

Lear n More About Our Effor ts to Keep Rates Down Statewide www.waterforalltexans.com info@waterforalltexans.com