With Central Texas and other fast-growing regions facing unprecedented population and development pressures, their water systems are under strain. From aging pipelines to treatment plants pushed to capacity, communities are asking: How do we stay ahead of growth?  

Master planning offers the answer: a forward-looking roadmap that ties together supply, treatment, reuse and distribution in a coherent strategy. 

Below, STV’s water industry experts Ryan Owen and Gil Barnett share how master planning delivers long-term benefits, especially for regions where rapid population growth isn’t slowing down. 

What exactly is a water master plan, and why should a community invest in one now? 

Gil Barnett: A water master plan is much more than a list of projects. It’s a strategic vision that lays out not just what needs to be done today, but also how the water system must be expanded to meet future growth, and how all the pieces, such as system capacity, water supply, wastewater, reuse and stormwater, fit together over the next 10-20+ years. Without it, communities risk investing in infrastructure that doesn’t align with future growth or missing opportunities because planning is fragmented. For high-growth regions, a master plan helps unify staff, council and community around a shared roadmap. 

Ryan Owen: I’d add that timing is critical. If you wait until infrastructure is failing or demand is overwhelming, options become limited and costs skyrocket. A master plan gives elected officials, utility managers and residents confidence to see not just what needs to happen, but when, why and how. At STV, we take a holistic approach – one that considers water, wastewater, reuse and stormwater as interconnected – to verify that these plans are resilient, efficient and built for the long haul. 

What are the major challenges in fast-growing regions that make master planning indispensable? 

Ryan Owen: Growth creates many moving targets: shifting population forecasts, evolving environmental regulations, variable water availability and intensifying weather extremes. In many places in Central Texas, infrastructure installed decades ago was sized for much smaller populations, resulting in increased pressures on capacity, reliability and treatment quality. Without master planning, you may patch issues but not address the root causes. 

Gil Barnett: Data insight is a big part of meeting those root causes. Water needs are driven by population growth and the types of development planned in the community. The water system’s capacity must keep pace with projected growth, so understanding the rate of population growth and the mix of single-family homes, multifamily complexes and commercial development is crucial. The master planning process must include data and input from developers, city planners and water system professionals. At the same time, planning to ensure a water supply is available to keep pace with the region’s fast growth is critical. 

What kinds of projects and strategies typically arise from a well-executed master plan? 

Gil Barnett: A robust plan often includes water system capacity improvements and water supply projects for both short-term and longer-term horizons. Short-term needs are more certain, while longer-term plans may change and require review and tweaking every few years. Examples of projects and strategies that may arise for a water master plan include: 

• Pipelines, transmission mains and pump stations to ensure water can move efficiently where demand is growing. 

• Storage facilities (ground tanks, elevated storage tanks) to meet regulatory requirements and so there is a buffer capacity during peak use or supply disruptions. 

• Identifying water supply sources, such as increased surface or groundwater, and alternative sources, including Aquifer Storage & Recovery (ASR) and expanded reuse programs, is especially useful in areas with seasonal supply fluctuations. 

Ryan Owen: Those projects are organized into a Capital Improvement Program (CIP), which helps communities prioritize funding, phase work over time and match projects to likely sources of funds. This also provides the opportunity to position for alternative funding sources or grants. What is also important is assessing the property needs for future facilities, so as growth expands, you’re not scrambling for suitable locations. The best master plans also build in flexibility so if growth shifts geographically, or state/federal requirements change, the plan still works. 

How often should the plan be revisited, and why is regular updating important? 

Gil Barnett: Typically, at least every five years. That frequency allows communities to keep pace with changes in population forecasts, regulatory landscape, resource availability (especially in areas reliant on aquifers or long supply chains) and technology. If you let a plan age beyond that, you run the risk of basing big investments on outdated assumptions. Development trends should be continually monitored to help inform decision-making on whether an earlier update may be needed. 

Ryan Owen: Updating isn’t just “refreshing the report.” It means reassessing growth zones, revisiting demand projections and priorities, surveying the condition of assets (such as pipes, plants and storage), and monitoring performance (including flow metering). Also, new funding or grant programs may become available, and regulatory rules (around discharge, reuse, water quality) can shift. Staying current keeps the plan actionable and competitive when seeking funding.  

How do master plans support funding and financial health? 

Gil Barnett: Primary benefits are clarity. When a community has a master plan, it knows what infrastructure is needed, when and what scale. That supports impact fees which help fund growth and makes grant applications and loan packages much more defensible. It also means you can plan for land acquisition to meet future water system infrastructure needs in advance, potentially before prices escalate. Securing future water supplies may be very expensive and takes several years, and a master plan provides a forward view that allows more alternatives to be investigated. 

Ryan Owen: Beyond that, the CIP becomes a financial roadmap. You can segregate core system maintenance/safety/repairs from growth expansion and advanced reuse or resilience needs. Leaders can make strategic decisions about rate adjustments, bond issues or partnerships, knowing they’re investing in things that align with both immediate needs and long-term resilience. In fast-growing regions, financial planning that lags behind growth can become reactive, more expensive and less efficient. 

How can proactive community engagement and communication strengthen a master planning effort? 

Ryan Owen: Utilities that engage their communities early and often are far more successful in advancing major infrastructure initiatives. Growth pressures, rate adjustments and new regulatory requirements can all spark concern if stakeholders feel unprepared. Proactive communication helps shape the narrative, build trust and demonstrate that decisions are being made thoughtfully and with the public’s long-term interests in mind. That engagement also creates space for meaningful dialogue, so utilities can incorporate community priorities into their planning rather than reacting to them after the fact. 

Gil Barnett: At STV, we view communication as a core part of master planning. Our teams often help utilities develop messaging strategies, public outreach materials and engagement plans that explain why investments are needed, what benefits they’ll deliver and how the community will be involved throughout the process. That kind of proactive, transparent communication not only builds public support but also smooths the path for funding approvals, policy changes and implementation down the line. 

How are new tools and technologies enhancing master planning? 

Gil Barnett: Hydraulic modeling and analyzing various scenarios with optimization tools are powerful. We can compare multiple growth paths – what happens if growth is concentrated in certain areas versus being spread out; what if a specific project is accelerated; and what if funding is more limited. These simulations help communities understand trade-offs, including cost, resilience, environmental impacts and user rate impacts. 

Ryan Owen: AI and data analytics are making monitoring and forecasting more precise. For example, predictive maintenance, improved asset condition assessment and utilizing real-time data (including data from sensors or flow meters) to adjust or prioritize interventions are examples of how AI and data analytics enhance the effectiveness of monitoring and forecasting. The blend of traditional engineering, data science and financial forecasting is what makes modern master planning so much more effective.