City expands reclaimed water system

On Valentine’s Day, the Austin Water Utility announced that it has expanded the city’s reclaimed water system. Specifically, the Smith Road Extension was completed, and according to a statement from the department, it has the potential to conserve up to 34.8 million gallons of potable water annually. The new line already has some big customers, like the Austin Animal Shelter and the Whole Foods distribution warehouse, but residents will also be able to connect by contacting the city. To date, according to the utility, the city’s reclaimed water system is 51 miles long and conserved 1.1 billion gallons of drinking water last year.