May 20, 2016 5:51 PM

Water board to review five-year water forecasts for energy needs

EDF suggests that evolving energy trends, climate change need consideration

The Texas Water Development Board has sent estimates of water usage for the state’s energy industry in its 5-year plan out for additional review, but environmentalists say the ultimate solution for accuracy in 5-year water plans would be to incorporate climate change.

Three key environmental groups – Environmental Defense Fund, Texas Center for Policy Studies and Sierra Club – called the estimates in the plan for the steam-electric water users group overly dated and possibly up to 40 percent too high. Director Matt Nelson, who presented the plan to the full TWDB yesterday, acknowledged the concerns and said outside consultants would be returning a draft proposal with new estimates in the near future.

The 2017 water plan has its own interactive website that can be broken out by region.