THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE + PLANNING AT UTSA
By: Tamauj Thomas
The Question: Does the City of Abilene Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan address Social Justice, equity, diversity, and Inclusion needs?
Today’s world is a melting pot of individuals from various ethnic groups, cultures, religions, sexual orientations, and social ideologies. The different variations of backgrounds and thought drive the implementation of policies and parameters that all individuals in a society must live by. Historically, the implementation of policies, as well as the distribution of resources, has been skewed towards certain groups while simultaneously alienating others. These marginalized groups have suffered many hardships that have left them educationally, economically, and resourcefully disadvantaged. In a society in which all individuals should be represented in the implementation of policies, “The welfare of all and the welfare of minorities are both deserving of support” (Davidoff, 2011). Regulatory agencies that govern over the utilization and distribution of public works assets must also bear the principal of equality and inclusion. In Texas, due to the drastic changes brought about by climate change, special attention must be given to ensure that inequality does not bring about catastrophic consequences for those who are often unheard and disenfranchised. “Texas presents a critical challenge for climate planning because it combines high risk from climate-related events; disproportionate harm from poverty, segregation, and inequitable infrastructure; and state leadership unwilling to acknowledge climate change” (Blake & Zelinsky, 2018; Depland, 2019; Fox, 2018; Lieberknecht et al., 2021; Pew Research Center, 2012; Wuebbles et al., 2017). The City of Abilene’s Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan (2014) was created to address the need for management of the city’s water supply. Does this plan address the need for social justice and equality in its management practices? Are all individuals affected by implementation decisions given a voice? These questions will be examined in this evaluation of the water conservation plan.
Methodology:
The City of Abilene Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan (2014) was reviewed based on its inclusion of elements that are deemed to improve equity, diversity, and social justice amongst its constituency. The plan was also evaluated for its adherence to the 2022 State Water Plan for the State of Texas. Water conservation methods were examined and compared to current measures implemented by the Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plans - West Central Texas Municipal Water District (2019) and The City of Abilene Conservation Plan (2022).
Findings: Evaluation of Plan Strengths and Weaknesses
The City of Abilene’s Water Conservation Plan is an ordinance that was created by the City of Abilene Public Works Division. The plan’s implementation is designed to address the issues of water utilization, conservation, quality, and availability within the service area of Abilene, Texas. Data compiled from various facets of the city government was utilized as the basis for which policies were to be enacted.
The City of Abilene states that “Public education is an ongoing and integral part of Abilene's water conservation programs. A public information and education program developed and implemented by the city is an important component in the city's water conservation strategy” (The City of Abilene’s Water Conservation Plan and Drought Contingency Plan, 2014). The communication between a regulatory agency and its constituency is very integral to the overall success or lack thereof for an implemented plan. “During the course of these exchanges, a collective sense of meaning is gradually created among the participants, and subsequent actions will be heavily influenced—for good or ill—by these shared understandings (Brooks, 2017). The communication between the regulatory authority and the public has taken place via a variety of communication techniques such as Abilene's internet website; newspaper supplements; presentations at neighborhood, civic, social, and professional organizations; public service announcements; and public school and university programs (The City of Abilene’s Water Conservation Plan and Drought Contingency Plan, 2014). This commitment to communication continues today within the City of Abilene as is seen in the declaration, “The initial implementation of the plan and any subsequent stage shall be made public via announcement at a media conference. Year-round water use management and any subsequent water conservation stages shall be publicized and shall become effective immediately upon such announcement. All implementation and termination of water conservation stages shall likewise occur via media conference” (The City of Abilene Water Conservation Plan, 2022).
In an effort to combat inequality amongst the constituents of its service area, the City of Abilene’s Water Conservation plan has established a variety of measures: The creation of a uniformed and consistent methodology for calculating water use and conservation serves as a guide for preparation of water use reports, water conservation plans, and reports on water conservation efforts. All metering devices used to meter water diverted from the source of supply are accurate to within plus or minus 5% for accurate accounting. Also, all water supplier’s plans are required to have water rate structures devoid of promotional rates or cost-based rates that encourage excessive water use (The City of Abilene’s Water Conservation Plan and Drought Contingency Plan, 2014). In certain situations, when conditions are not optimal in a particular subsection of the service area, variances may be issued to ensure that those affected by such conditions have adequate access to water supply. According to the Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan West Central Texas Municipal Water District (2019), of which the City of Abilene now adheres to, “The General Manager, or his designee, shall have the authority to grant a variance from any requirement contained in these Plans, if the variance is in the best interest of public health, welfare or safety. The General Manager shall have the authority to adjust withdrawals, pumping or delivery rates within the constraints of the Water Supply Contracts to optimize the quantity and quality of water availability to our Member Cities and customers” (West Central Texas Municipal Water District Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plans, 2019). Measures such as these go a long way in establishing equity amongst all water users in a service area by holding all members of the constituency to the same regulatory standard, while also aiding those that are disadvantaged with additional assistance.
Although the practice of public communication and outreach is important, the plan does very little regarding the involvement of the constituency in the planning and implementation process. The plan is unitary in nature, as it was generated solely by one agency, being the City of Abilene. Justification for various policies were backed strictly by the data that was collected internally and left little room for public involvement in the policy selection process. The presence of advocacy planning was also nonexistent, as there was no opposing view or approach to the water conservation planning practices considered. The statement, “The City of Abilene practices and promotes conservation of water through the implementation of practices described in the Texas Water Development Board's (TWDB's) “Best Management Practices (BMP) Guide for Municipal and Wholesale Users” (The City of Abilene’s Water Conservation Plan and Drought Contingency Plan, 2014) indicates that decision making is influenced by the planning commission, the Texas Water Development Board. By only relying on the recommendations of individuals from the planning commission, who are not beholding to any political faction, and are not subject to the outcome of periodic elections, the implementation of the plan is not contested at any point in the process. This is done to mitigate the planning and implementation process, “Planners know that the more opinions and preferences that must be taken into account in a particular decision-making process, the more difficult it is to arrive at a consensus, and the greater the risk that the outcome will reflect the lowest common denominator (that is, nobody is left unhappy—but nothing of any significance has taken place)” (Brooks, 2002). However, to only notify the public of decisions that were made regarding policies that affect them, while not considering their ideas, can be considered authoritarian by many in the constituency. The planning of cities and public policy is a process that must be undertaken by both members of the public and the regulatory community. The absence of either creates an imbalance that moves society further away from urban democracy, or the ideology that allows for the involvement of citizens in the establishment of public policy (Davidoff, 2011). There must be more consideration given to the ideas of the public at large than is presently being exhibited in the City of Abilene’s Water Conservation Plan. Community-centered climate planning, or planning that seeks to better incorporate local knowledge and participation in development of climate strategies would be applicable in this situation. “The idea of local knowledge bridges theory and practice. Participatory planning theory acknowledges that multiple, diverse types of knowledge will produce more robust planning solutions and that local or “ordinary” knowledge held by residents comprises a key contribution for planning” (Lieberknecht, 2022).
Future Scenario:
In water management planning, long-termism, or the planning for future generations to come, is the planning approach that is most frequently utilized. The Texas Water Development Board States that “Every five years, each of the 16 planning groups is tasked with producing long-range regional water plans that ensure water needs will be met during times of drought for the next 50 years. These plans generally follow a standard format across the regions based upon statute, administrative rules, and an established scope of work for each planning cycle” (Texas Water Development Board State Water Plan, 2022). Planners who develop such plans must prioritize the availability of water resources for the next generations over what may be most favorable to individuals who are currently utilizing this resource. Failure to account for future scenarios could have disastrous consequences for society. The deficiency in the water supply could lead to increased water restrictions, loss of agricultural lands due to excessive soil dry out, and possibly the displacement of millions of citizens as their residential areas lose access to a consistent water supply. Plans like the City of Abilene Water Conservation and drought Contingency Plan are a necessity in today’s world consisting of ever-growing populations and the slow and devastating effects of global climate change. We must strategically utilize our resources, but we must do so in a manner that is fair and equitable to all. “If we are careful and farsighted, we have the power to help build a better future for our great-grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren in turn down through hundreds of generations” (MacAskill, 2022).
References:
City of Abilene. (2014) Water Conservation Plan and Drought Contingency Plan ("Water Conservation Plan Ordinance") PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM 2210001 http://www.urbdocs.com.libweb.lib.utsa.edu/pdf-files/4156001.pdf
City of Abilene. (2022) Water Conservation Plan, Article VI Drought contengency plan REV (abilenetx.gov)
Davidoff, P. (2011). Advocacy and Pluralism in Planning. In R. T. LeGates & F. Stout (Eds.), The City Reader (7th ed., pp. 435–445). Routledge.
Lieberknecht, K. (2022). Community-Centered Climate Planning: Using Local Knowledge and Communication Frames to Catalyze Climate Planning in Texas. Journal of the American Planning Association, 88(1), 97–112. https://doi.org/10.1080/01944363.2021.1896974
Brooks, M. P. (2017). Planning theory for practitioners. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781351179454
Brooks, M. P. (2002). Planning Theory for Practitioners. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/978135117945
West Central Texas Municipal Water District (2019) Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plans (2019) 2bc65e_d33ab2a50944459babe1f610422c674e.pdf (wctmwd.org)
Texas Water development Board (2022). State Water Plan 2022. 2022 State Water Plan | Texas Water Development Board
MacAskill, W. (2022, August 5). The Case for Longtermism. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/05/opinion/the-case-for-longtermism.html
Hernandez, R. (2020) Abilene [photograph] 15 Interesting Historical Facts About Abilene. https://keanradio.com. https://keanradio.com/abilene-historical-facts/