TWDB Presents Blue Hole Primary School With ‘Texas Rain Catcher Award’ 2020

Staff

AUSTIN — The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) announced today the recipients of its annual Texas Rain Catcher Award, a rainwater harvesting competition, and recognition program. The Wimberley Independent School District’s One Water School – Blue Hole Primary was recognized in the educational/governmental category.

The TWDB’s Texas Rain Catcher Award recognizes excellence in the application of rainwater harvesting systems in Texas, promotes rainwater harvesting technology, and educates the public on this critical water-saving practice.

The Wimberley Independent School District designed and constructed Blue Hole Primary using the One Water concept to minimize water use and optimize onsite reuse by promoting an integrated approach to water management. This approach looks at drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and greywater as a single resource.

The campus can collect and store 200,000 gallons of rainwater and 600 to 1,300 gallons of air conditioning condensate per day to be distributed through an advanced reuse system for flushing toilets and landscape irrigation.

The system is estimated to reduce the campus water consumption footprint by approximately 90 percent, conserving an estimated 237 acre-feet of groundwater over 30 years and minimizing reliance on the Trinity Aquifer.

The Texas Rain Catcher Award competition began in 2007 and is open to all individuals, companies, organizations, municipalities, and other local and state governmental entities in Texas.

It recognizes entities and individuals in the rainwater harvesting community and beyond and establishes award recipients as dedicated water conservation leaders in Texas.

The Wimberley Independent School District’s One Water School – Blue Hole Primary is one of six awardees being recognized statewide this year.

Among the other 2020 winners were,

• Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District and the Parker County Livestock Improvement Association
• Anodamine, Inc.
• Austin Central Library
• Texas Tech University’s Home Utility Management System (HUMS)
• Duke Residence

The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional water and flood planning, and preparing the state water and flood plans.

The TWDB administers cost-effective financial assistance programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control, and agricultural water conservation projects.