Demand a TCEQ Ban on New Wastewater Discharge Permits into Canyon Lake and Its Watershed

Petition to:

The Commissioners of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
The Honorable Governor Greg Abbott

Canyon Lake Is OUR Drinking Water — Not a Treated Wastewater Disposal Site

Canyon Lake is one of the most important drinking water reservoirs in Central Texas. It sits over two aquifers. 

It supplies families, businesses, and communities throughout many counties and also downstream along the Guadalupe River.

It supports recreation, tourism, property values, and the health of our region.

And now, it is facing increasing pressure from rapid development and wastewater discharge permits in its watershed.

Texas Has Protected Other Lakes. Why Not Canyon Lake?

In the 1980s, Texas adopted special watershed protections for the Highland Lakes — including:

Lake Travis
Lake Austin
State regulators used formal rulemaking authority to restrict wastewater discharges in those watersheds to protect drinking water.

Canyon Lake deserves the same protection.

We Are in a Declared Drought

In February 2026, Governor Greg Abbott renewed a statewide drought disaster declaration.

During drought:

-Inflows shrink
-Effluent increases. 
-Treated wastewater becomes a larger percentage of total surface water per day.

-A possible approved 1,441,000 GPD of 
effluent may be permitted to flow in from development on the lake and expansive growth upriver. That will be 696 times more effluent than Lake Travis, if all WWTPs are approved and operational. 

-Approving additional wastewater discharge permits under these conditions increases long-term risk to a drinking water reservoir.

Once a lake becomes degraded, restoration is expensive — and sometimes impossible. TCEQ is tasked with preventing degradation not cleaning it up. Degradation makes drinking water more expensive. 

Prevention is responsible governance.

——————————————————This Is About Drinking Water Security

We are not anti-growth.

We are asking for responsible growth that does not discharge treated wastewater into the watershed of a premier drinking water reservoir. We are asking for reuse systems to save supply and keep our drinking water clean. 

Texas law already gives the TCEQ authority to adopt watershed-specific protections with formal rule making.

They used their formal rulemaking authority before.

They can use it again.

——————————————————

What We Are Asking?

We call on the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to:

-Begin formal rulemaking immediately.
-Prohibit new or expanded wastewater discharge permits in the Canyon Lake watershed.

-Require no-discharge alternatives such as reuse or land application systems.

We call on Governor Abbott to:

-Support or direct this rulemaking
-Prioritize protection of drinking water reservoirs during declared drought conditions

—————————————————

Why This Matters to Every Texan

Protecting Canyon Lake means:

✔ Safeguarding drinking water
✔ Protecting all downstream communities
✔ Avoiding higher water treatment costs
✔ Preserving recreation and property values
✔ Acting before degradation and damage occurs

Texas acted to protect Lake Travis and Lake Austin 40 years ago before serious degradation occurred.

Canyon Lake deserves the same foresight. 

If you drink water from Canyon Lake
If you boat, fish, or swim here
If you live downstream
If you believe Texas should protect its drinking water

Sign this petition.

Tell state leaders:

Protect Canyon Lake now.
Begin formal rulemaking.
Ban new wastewater discharge permits in its watershed.