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Cypress Creek and effluent are input sources of water collected in the ponds, along with storm water runoff. The water in the ponds is maintained at a more-or-less constant level for aesthetics. The water in the ponds is also pulled out via the IPSs for irrigation, so that’s an output from the pond. There’s also evaporation to consider. But, simply put, ignoring evaporation losses and gains from runoff capture, water and money saved, can be calculated from the input side. For example, if you drilled wells and pumped water into the ponds, WCID 157 would be paying the WHCRWA fee to replace the input sources. Once the water was in the ponds, WCID 157 wouldn’t pay WHCRWA again to pump the same molecules of water back out of the lakes for irrigation through the IPSs.

During calendar year 2021, WCID 157 used over 400,000 gallons of water from the lake system for irrigation of common areas. This saved Bridgeland residents approximately $1.4 million in WHCRWA fees that would have been paid if it didn’t have this alternative input source.