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BASTROP — Bastrop is doing better than anticipated in curbing water loss, according to recent reports.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Texas Water Development Board require cities with more than 3,300 meter connections submit a water conservation plan. Bastrop has 5,682 connections and updates its plan every five years, Director of Water and Wastewater Curtis Hancock said.
“The national water loss average is 15%,” Hancock said. “Region K is asking people to set a goal of 10% — Bastrop’s goal was 9% over the last five years.”
According to Hancock, the city’s five-year average was 7.8%, and in 2025 water loss dropped to 6.7%.
The water conservation plan includes strategies to ensure water is produced and used efficiently by reducing consumption, reducing loss or waste and establishing best management practices to meet future demands.
A copy of the plan is sent to the Region K Lower Colorado Regional Water Planning Group, that includes Bastrop, to be taken into consideration for future regional and state water supply planning purposes. Water loss is the difference between how much water is pumped in by the city and how much water is billed. Hancock said Bastrop’s success is due in part to regularly monitoring for water leaks and continually testing meters for accuracy.
The city’s water system has increased from 583 million gallons per year in 2021 to 726 million in 2025. The estimated water demand in 2036 is 1.16 billion gallons, officials said.
