Project Summary:

The Terrnaova West Municipal Utility District (TWMUD) upgraded its current irrigation system to utilize reclaimed water and smart irrigation controllers. Prior to this project, TWMUD partnered with Bilma Public Utility District to modify an existing water treatment plant to treat reclaimed water through the North Harris County Regional Water Authority’s Reuse Incentive Program. The TWMUD and the TWMUD Property Owners Association used approximately 7-7.8 million gallons of treated water annually to irrigate common areas with 15 standard irrigation controllers. Masuen projected annual water savings of 3 million gallons and nearly $24,000 in savings on potable water costs. With reclaimed water costing $2.50 per thousand gallons, this is about a 59% reduction in price from $6.05 per thousand gallons for potable water.

By the end of June 2025, five Baseline 3200 Smart Controllers were installed and connected to the reclaimed water supply.

Water Conservation Efforts:

The TWMUD Board of Directors made a point of communicating the benefits and project progress to residents through website updates, monthly newsletter updates, broadcast messages, a series of eye-catching in-ground signs placed along walking trails in the MUD park and detention pond green space. A display fired hydrant was decorated as a purple toad, adopted as the reclaimed project mascot, as a fun way to raise awareness on the project.

TWMUD offered local businesses adjacent to the reclaimed lines the opportunity to connect and utilize them for irrigation. As of June 2025, three accounts will be connected to the reclaimed water line.

Lesson Learned:

  • Prior to the beginning of the project, connect with the electric service provider to understand everything that needs to be done to install new electric meters to power the smart irrigation controllers.
  • The TWMUD Board would highly recommend that any District considering a reclaim irrigation project not tie a new reclaim water line to existing standard irrigation controllers but hire an expert in reclaim irrigation design and management.

News Post from June 5, 2024:

The Harris-Galveston Subsidence District’s (HGSD) Water Conservation Grant Program will award the Terranova West Municipal Utility District (MUD) with up to $207,000 in funding to replace its irrigation systems with innovative technology designed to save over three million gallons of water each year. This new system will utilize reclaimed water and EPA WaterSense-labeled products to irrigate approximately 8.7 acres of land, including parks, street medians, and other green spaces more efficiently and effectively.

During the grant project kick-off meeting, Krystal Joseph, Terranova West MUD’s attorney, expressed, “The [Terranova West MUD] District is very forward-thinking, establishing this partnership is very important to us as our goals align with Harris-Galveston Subsidence District’s goals.”

“Our goal is to save water and prevent subsidence. I lived in Baytown in the 1960s, I saw what can happen,” said Ken Barrett, Terranova West MUD’s Vice President, referencing the impact that subsidence had on Baytown’s Brownwood Subdivision which sank nearly 10 feet within three decades.

Terranova West MUD’s Board President, Tom Lovell shared, “We want to leave a legacy and hopefully be a model for other Districts.”

HGSD is proud to support such an impactful water conservation project and we look forward to sharing more details upon the project’s completion.