Pasadena: At A Glance

Not much has changed in Pasadena when it comes to water conservation - its score remains locked at 57. Though the City was able to decrease its water loss percentage, from 13.49% to 10.13%, Pasadena took steps in the wrong direction by implementing fewer best management practices than before and removing water conservation information posted online. The City does maintain a low GPCD relative to other cities in Texas, but Pasadena still has many opportunities to proactively work toward water conservation and become a leader in the field.

Discussion

The City of Pasadena, located in southeastern Harris County and the Region H water planning area, serves a population of 150,000. The major source of Pasadena’s water supply is surface water provided under contract with the City of Houston through the Southeast Water Purification Plant, but Pasadena also has seven groundwater wells into the Gulf Coast Aquifer. The City also serves as a small wholesale supplier to the City of Seabrook, Clear Lake Water Authority, the Port of Houston Authority, and two industrial operations.

While Pasadena has improved upon its percent water loss since the 2016 scorecard - reporting a decrease from 13.49% to 10.13%, the City has not made much progress otherwise and in fact has regressed in ways that are not represented in the overall score. Since the last scorecard, Pasadena is now implementing three fewer BMPs and has removed information on water conservation from its website. Pasadena appears not to have adopted any new programs or special initiatives for promoting water conservation that can be found in cities in Texas that are considered leaders in the water conservation field.

The City’s relatively large water supply capacity and relatively low water use per capita seem to provide little incentive for Pasadena to make water conservation a priority for its water utility. To improve its overall score and at least meet their 2024 conservation goals, Pasadena will need to implement some form of outdoor watering restrictions and would stand to benefit from once again providing conservation tips to its customers online.