The Texas Water Foundation presented Harris-Galveston Subsidence District (HGSD) with a Blue Legacy Award on January 29, 2025, at the Texas Water Development Board’s Water for Texas Conference in Austin. This award celebrates innovators who champion preserving the state’s most precious resource, water. HGSD’s Water Conservation School Program, was recognized under the “Legacy of Awareness” category for instilling the public with passion and a drive to understand, preserve, and conserve water resources.
HGSD’s mission is to prevent further subsidence in Harris and Galveston counties through groundwater regulation and the implementation of water conservation programs to protect and preserve our groundwater resources. For three decades, the District has provided 3rd through 6th-grade classrooms with locally-based water education through its Water Conservation School Program, H2O Lab!, which teaches students to value water in our region, provides tools and resources to help families practice water-saving habits, as well as raise awareness about subsidence and ways to prevent it. Participants receive a complimentary take-home water conservation kit with items to maximize water efficiency by targeting different areas of their homes. Upon proper installation, each kit has an estimated water savings of 9,400 gallons per year. Over 19,650 students and 360 teachers participated in the school program during the 2023-2024 school year, projecting a total annual water savings of 184 million gallons in Harris and Galveston counties.
As the greater Houston area continues to grow, water conservation is imperative to protect our water supply and minimize subsidence. HGSD’s Water Conservation School Program offers an incredible opportunity for education that inspires the value of water and empowers students to make an impact within their communities with water-efficient behaviors.