Texas OKs wastewater reuse for Wichita Falls

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — State regulators have given conditional approval to a drought-stricken North Texas city’s plan to recycle and treat wastewater to augment dwindling drinking water supplies.

The Texas Commission of Environmental Quality approved the Wichita Falls program for a period not to exceed six months. An agency statement says the decision is based on the city’s report that it had verified that it was able to treat wastewater to meet all state and federal drinking water standards.

The Friday decision comes after state and federal climatologists warned Tuesday that the city of about 105,000 residents bear the Oklahoma border will likely continue experiencing unnaturally hot, dry weather for a decade or longer.

The Texas Water Development Board says the Wichita Falls water supply is on a pace to run dry by 2016.