Texas Might be Tapped to Solve Water Problems in Altus, Oklahoma

• Joe Wertz
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  Joe Wertz was a reporter and managing editor for StateImpact Oklahoma from 2011-2019. He reported on energy and environment issues for national NPR audiences and other national outlets. He previously worked as a managing editor, assistant editor and staff reporter at several major Oklahoma newspapers and studied journalism at the University of Central Oklahoma.

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The City of Altus depends on water from the Tom Steed Reservoir, which is less than one-third full.

Southwest Oklahoma is suffering from unrelenting drought, and city leaders in Altus have been forced to enact water restrictions limiting outdoor watering, car washing and filling swimming pools.

The city depends on the Tom Steed Reservoir, which is less than one-third full, data from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation show.

Oklahoma just isn’t cutting it, and the Altus City Council this week approved a $109,000 contact for a Texas firm to help the city find other water supplies. One possible source: Texas, The Lawton Constitution’s Mark Potter reports:

One of the additional water sources being studied is the Round Timber Well Field just south of the Red River in Wilbarger County, Texas, that was developed in the 1960s but has not been in operation in recent years.

City officials there are also considering moving to “Stage 4” water restrictions — rolling water blackouts, basically. The paper reports:

… which may include shutting off water to various portions of the city for a day on a rotating basis, if such action becomes necessary.