Not many people can brag that their water is award-winning, but citizens of Southlake can. As the sole recipient of this award from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the City sets a statewide standard for water system practices and environmental consciousness. This recognition is a huge win for Southlake, and it doesn’t happen without the countless hours the Water and Environmental Services Divisions commit to intentional practices with safety, conservation, and quality at the forefront.

“There is a lot of work that goes in behind the scenes to make sure this work gets done,” Madisson Dunn, Environmental and Regulatory Supervisor said. “The team is always looking for ways to improve.”

According to Dunn, winning this award was due to outreach events and programs the team either created or participated in, as well as the high quality of water detailed in our Water Quality Report.

One of these standout outreach events was the Florence STEM Night, where the team designed science projects for elementary school kids that educated them on environmental consciousness and conservation methods.

“Kids are the most willing to change,” Dunn said with a laugh. “We find that when kids learn about conservation techniques, they get so excited they run home and encourage their families to do the same.”

The team believes this eagerness to conserve has the potential to make a huge impact on reducing water waste. Despite the award-winning systems the Environmental Services division has in place, these methods don’t work unless there is a City-wide effort to be environmentally aware. The division works hard to provide resources and techniques to make it as easy as possible to incorporate that change.

“It really takes a holistic approach. Most people think their practices don’t matter because they are one person in a city of 30,000, but those practices add up when everyone thinks the same way,” Dunn explained. “Water is finite. What we have is what we have.”

Now, the team continues to brainstorm ideas to conserve that finite resource as they always have – the only difference is they have a new, shiny award from the state recognizing the important work they do behind the scenes for the citizens of Southlake every day.

If you would like to learn more about the resources the Water Division provides to help you conserve, please see here.