Marble Falls Mayor Champions Toilet-to-Tap Water Reuse as Texas Hill Country Booms
Marble Falls Mayor John Packer advocates for direct potable reuse as a key solution to water scarcity amid rapid growth in the Texas Hill Country.
As the Texas Hill Country experiences rapid growth, Marble Falls Mayor John Packer is betting big on direct potable reuse—often called "toilet-to-tap"—to secure the city's water future. In the latest episode of The Building Texas Show, titled "Marble Falls, TX: Close Enough to Austin, Far Enough Away," host Justin McKenzie discusses with Packer how the small city on Highway 281 is navigating Central Texas growth, aging infrastructure, and an ambitious water recycling plan.
Packer, a small business owner of more than 20 years and a returning mayor after a four-year break, frames water as the defining issue for Texas cities. The city's three-pronged water plan includes Highland Lakes surface water, a newly purchased well water system, and direct potable reuse from a relocated wastewater plant. "If we draw over a million gallons of water outta the lake every day to make drinking water, and we produce roughly 800,000 gallons of wastewater, we can turn that 800,000 into at least 600,000 or 700,000 gallons of water. It's just a kind of a no-brainer," Packer tells McKenzie. He acknowledges the concept "makes people cringe a little bit," but insists "it's the future."
The episode, recorded lakeside with construction underway in the background, highlights how drought pressure west of the dry line makes such reuse not optional for Texas's future. Packer explains that the city coordinates with TxDOT, LCRA, TCEQ, and the county on infrastructure projects like the 281 and 1431 intersection and the Highway 71 corridor. With more than 35,000 vehicles crossing through town daily on 281, a route stretching from Mexico to the northern United States, traffic management is critical, yet traffic nearly vanishes after 7 p.m., complicating TxDOT funding cases.
The conversation also surfaces operational realities behind growth. Packer recounts how the July 4th flooding turned Lake Marble Falls into "chocolate milk," quadrupling treatment cycle times for weeks. He highlights quality-of-life investments, including a built beach along a lake that can flood 18 feet, expanded trails and sidewalks, a popular skate park, and a partnership in the One Water initiative tied to the new wastewater plant's purple pipe system.
Beyond water, Marble Falls is investing in economic development. A new lakefront hotel conference center is under construction, connecting Main Street shops and restaurants to Lake Marble Falls. The city's Economic Development Corporation strategy largely avoids financial incentive packages and focuses on business retention and facade grants. Packer's message is clear: as the Hill Country booms, Marble Falls is preparing not just for growth, but for sustainability.
The Marble Falls episode is available now on YouTube and wherever podcasts are heard.