The Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force convened on June 10, 2025, to discuss critical updates to the city's water management strategies. The meeting highlighted the importance of water quality preservation and supply, alongside recreational access and community health outcomes.

During the session, Susana Almanza, the director of the Office of Equity and Development (POED), expressed gratitude for the updates made to the 2018 water plan. She raised several questions regarding the timeline for implementing various initiatives, including the requirement for new developments to include water benchmarking applications and the rollout of smart meters across the city. Almanza also inquired about incentives for landscape transformation and the reuse of rainwater and air conditioning condensate in large developments.

In response, task force members confirmed that the requirement for water benchmarking applications is already in place for all new site plans. Developments exceeding 250,000 square feet must engage with conservation staff to explore water reuse options. Additionally, these larger projects are mandated to connect to the centralized reclaimed water system or establish on-site reuse systems if they are within proximity to the existing infrastructure.

The discussion underscored the city's commitment to sustainable water management practices and the involvement of grassroots organizations in shaping best management practices. The task force plans to follow up on Almanza's questions and continue refining the water management strategies to meet community needs effectively.