The West Harris County Regional Water Authority (WHCRWA) was created by House Bill No. 1842 in the 77th Texas Legislature and signed into law on May 28, 2001. WHCRWA was created to provide long-term water supplies, reduce reliance on groundwater, support groundwater conservation, and help address land subsidence caused by excessive groundwater withdrawal.
WHCRWA’s boundaries generally extend from U.S. 290 on the north and northeast, the Houston city limits on the east, the Harris/Fort Bend county line on the south, and the Harris/Waller county line on the west. The Authority encompasses approximately 232 square miles, more than 150 municipal utility districts, and portions of the City of Katy.
WHCRWA Boundary
WHCRWA’s Groundwater Reduction Plan provides the framework for meeting groundwater-reduction requirements established by the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District. The GRP includes water providers within WHCRWA’s boundaries as well as participating districts located outside the Authority’s boundaries. As the region continues to grow, WHCRWA updates its planning for water demand, surface water delivery, infrastructure, and future conversion requirements.
WHCRWA Projected Population
Source: Texas Water Development Board
The HGSD groundwater reduction requirements include 30 percent conversion by 2010, 60 percent by 2025, and 80 percent by 2035. WHCRWA successfully met the 30 percent requirement in 2010 and the 60 percent requirement in 2025. The next requirement is 80 percent by 2035.
WHCRWA purchases treated surface water from the City of Houston pursuant to a long-term water supply contract entered into in 2003 and supplemented in 2009 and 2015.
WHCRWA began delivering surface water in 2005. Since 2010, treated surface water from the City of Houston’s East Water Purification Plant has been delivered to WHCRWA through the City’s transmission system and Jersey Village Pump Station.
In June 2026, an additional source of treated surface water became available when water from the City of Houston’s Northeast Water Purification Plant (NEWPP) began moving through the Surface Water Supply Project (SWSP) and Central Pump Station into the WHCRWA system.
WHCRWA’s water supply and distribution system has been developed to support the groundwater reduction requirements established by the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District. WHCRWA successfully met the 30 percent conversion requirement in 2010 and the 60 percent conversion requirement in 2025. Work continues on additional infrastructure and conversions needed to support the 80 percent requirement in 2035.
The initial system developed for the 2010 conversion included Pump Station No. 1, ground storage tanks, and transmission and distribution lines designed to provide reliable surface water delivery. The original 2010 service area was generally bounded by Highway 290 on the north, Brittmoore Road on the east, Clay Road on the south, and Barker-Cypress Road on the west.
WHCRWA has historically earned and acquired groundwater conservation and over-conversion credits permitted by the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District. Early conversion of several utility districts allowed WHCRWA to begin accumulating credits before 2010. WHCRWA has also participated in conservation programs and acquired additional credits through mechanisms permitted by the HGSD. These credits remain one of the tools available to WHCRWA under its Groundwater Reduction Plan.
House Bill No. 1842 authorizes WHCRWA to fund its projects and operations through a variety of methods, including charges, rates, fees, user fees, special assessments, notes, bonds, capital contributions from municipalities or utility districts within WHCRWA’s boundaries, and other available funds.
WHCRWA has financed the purchase of City of Houston treatment and transmission capacity, participation in regional water-supply projects, and the design and construction of its own facilities through bonds and, in some cases, capital contributions from utility districts. Bonds issued by WHCRWA are payable from fees and charges imposed for groundwater pumpage and the delivery of surface water. These revenues also support operation and maintenance of WHCRWA facilities, administration, and debt service.