The city of La Joya says an increase in demand as the city’s water supply dwindles led to them issuing a water conservation notice to residents.

Under the notice, residents must conserve water for two weeks.

The conservation comes as the city discusses building a new water treatment plant to replace the current one that was built in 1982.

The new plant increases the city’s water capacity, and the amount of water the city can pump.

La Joya City Manager Leo Olivares said the water conservation notice is a sign of the need for that expanded access to water.

Olivares says as more people move to the city, they need to expand services and utilities.

“You can't grow if you don't have the infrastructure, but it's not just based on growth,” Olivares said. 

“There are new technologies we want to take advantage of, so for those reasons, it's time for La Joya to invest in the future."

The design phase of the proposed water treatment plant should start later this month, Olivares said.

The new plant is estimated to cost $7.1 million, with funding from the Texas Water Development Board covering 70% of the project.

The project is expected to be completed sometime in 2025.

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