Between decreasing water supply and increasing demand, long-term water availability has become a pressing concern across the United States.
Drought is affecting almost half the country. As of September, drought conditions had worsened in Texas, Oklahoma, and parts of the Midwest and Southeast. In Texas alone, approximately 23.5 million residents live in drought-affected areas. Meanwhile, population growth and extreme weather are straining aging water systems.
For local leaders, tackling this issue means ensuring communities have the water they need, both now and in the years ahead. Water availability depends on three interconnected factors: quantity, quality, and use. Understanding both available supplies and demand patterns can help communities spot emerging imbalances and manage their water resources better. Agencies should start by looking more closely at how much water their systems use, where water is being lost, and whether existing infrastructure can reliably meet future demand.
Here are stories from local organizations across the southwest US taking a proactive approach to water efficiency and resilience.
Proactive Water Conservation Efforts Build Resilience Over Time
Rather than waiting for water challenges to become urgent, public agencies can use utility data, conservation measures, and infrastructure modernization to reduce demand and improve the performance of existing systems.
Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) provides an example of how proactive conservation efforts help public organizations prepare for diminished water supply. The university sits on 300 acres in Laredo, TX and is the largest managed green space in its county, giving the university an important role in water stewardship both on campus and across the Laredo community.
TAMIU has partnered with Schneider Electric since 2017 on a multiphase program addressing aging campus infrastructure and resource consumption. As a result of its modernization efforts, TAMIU reduced annual water consumption by approximately 24.8 million gallons using low-flow fixtures, drought-resistant landscaping, and more efficient irrigation. The university estimates that amount is equivalent to filling an Olympic-sized swimming pool approximately 42 times.
The project's significance goes beyond the amount of water saved; it shows how proactive progress builds resilience over time. TAMIU was reducing its baseline demand well before drought conditions required more restrictive measures in May 2024. By incorporating water efficiency into its broader infrastructure and operational planning, TAMIU was better positioned to navigate drought-related challenges because it had already taken steps to reduce demand.
Reducing Demand To Address Shrinking Water Supply
The water supply challenges facing El Paso demonstrate why reducing demand is an important component of a water resilience strategy.
The Rio Grande provides nearly half of El Paso’s annual water supply, but El Paso hasn’t received a full Rio Grande allocation in about a decade. During the severe 2013 drought, river water was available for less than two months. And today, after several years of extreme drought and the earliest snowmelt on record, the Elephant Butte Reservoir sits at only 13% capacity.
This illustrates why resilience can’t depend solely on maintaining or expanding water supplies. Reducing demand is crucial.
El Paso County has done that by incorporating water efficiency into a comprehensive infrastructure modernization effort covering 30 county facilities. The county partnered with Schneider Electric on these improvements, which include upgrades to mechanical systems, building automation, and water efficiency.
The first phase of the project is projected to reduce annual energy consumption by 23% and save approximately 48 million gallons of water each year. The average American uses approximately 82 gallons of water per day, or roughly 30,000 gallons per year. At that rate, 48 million gallons is equivalent to the annual household water use of about 400 to 500 households.
Protecting and Maximizing Existing Water Resources
Water scarcity is not only a supply and demand problem. Communities can also improve resilience by understanding where water is being lost and finding ways to reduce those losses.
For example, the City of Groves produces approximately 879 million gallons of water annually but reports that about 55% is unaccounted for (meaning it is either lost in the system or not measured accurately), with leaks identified as a major contributor. Reducing those overall losses would yield substantial water savings for the city.
In 2026, Groves began a project to replace more than 6,700 aging water meters with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). The technology is relatively straightforward. Instead of relying on infrequent meter readings, AMI provides utilities with live water use information. That data helps identify unusual consumption patterns that may indicate leaks or other problems. Better data will also help the City identify leaks before they appear on a water bill. This approach also keeps communities informed, helping residents avoid surprises and better manage their water usage.
Planning Now for Future Water Needs
The next water crisis should not be the starting point for water efficiency planning. Local leaders can ask now: Do we know where water is being used and lost? Have we identified which improvements will make the greatest difference? Do we have a strategy and investment roadmap to meet future needs?
For organizations that do not have those answers, working with a partner like Schneider Electric can help identify improvement opportunities and turn those findings into a plan that connects water savings, infrastructure priorities, and financing options. Taking those proactive steps now will give communities more options as water supplies become more constrained.
