City of Richmond TX- The City of Richmond was recognized with the Innovative or Proactive Water System Award on August 4, 2026, at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ) annual Public Drinking Water Conference in Austin. This award recognizes water systems that use creative and effective approaches to improve operations, maintain compliance, promote sustainability, and better serve their customers.

Richmond received the award for its Regional Wastewater Reuse Expansion Project, which increases the City’s ability to reuse treated wastewater for irrigation and other non-drinking water uses. By reusing treated wastewater, the project helps reduce the City’s reliance on groundwater, supports long-term water conservation, and helps extend the timeframe before additional surface water facilities may be needed. The project will help the city earn additional subsidence credits due to use of non-groundwater water sources.

This marks another recognition for Richmond’s commitment to innovative water management. Richmond previously received the Innovative or Proactive Water System Award in 2013, 2017, and 2018.