The Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force made significant strides in enhancing community engagement and addressing equity concerns during its recent meeting on June 10, 2025. A key focus was on how the findings from the ongoing water resource planning efforts will be communicated back to the community. Task force members emphasized the importance of transparency, with plans to utilize the Water Forward Task Force as a primary platform for sharing updates and progress reports.

The meeting highlighted the need for continued community engagement, particularly regarding the Water Forward Plan and its various strategies. Task force representatives noted that surveys were distributed to all Austin Water customers, ensuring broad representation across neighborhoods, including areas beyond the city limits. This outreach aims to gather diverse perspectives and address specific local issues effectively.

Concerns were raised about the low score for diversity among the plan's objectives. Task force members discussed the evaluation matrix used to assess different water supply scenarios, which included an 8% objective weight for equity. They acknowledged the necessity of not only including equity benefits in the evaluation but also actively working to mitigate negative impacts on marginalized communities.

Looking ahead, the task force plans to hold a follow-up meeting on June 27 to delve deeper into community feedback and refine their strategies. This ongoing dialogue is crucial as the task force aims to update the Water Forward Plan every five years, allowing for continuous improvement based on community input.

The discussions from this meeting underscore the task force's commitment to fostering an inclusive approach to water resource planning, ensuring that all community voices are heard and considered in shaping Austin's water future.