Rainwater in Texas

Annual rainfall in Texas ranges from less than ten inches in West Texas to thirty-two inches here in the Austin area to a luxurious fifty inches in East Texas. Maximum consecutive days without rainfall range from 120 in West Texas to 80 in Central Texas to 50 in East Texas. 

The Texas Water Development Board has estimated that approximately 38 billion gallons of water could be saved annually if only ten percent of the roof area in Texas were used for rainwater harvesting. Faced with an exploding population and diminishing water supply, more Texans, including our government, are looking at rainwater as an option. Governments in even drier areas have already discovered rainwater’s benefits; in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for example, a rainwater collection system is required on all new residential structures larger than 2,500 square feet. In Texas, rainwater systems have been sales tax free since 2001. In 2003, the Texas Legislature passed a bill that prevents homeowners’ associations from implementing new covenants banning outdoor water conservation measures, such as rainwater harvesting. Rainwater collection and storage is an old idea that is once again worth considering, and we thank you for taking the time to look at Texas Metal Cisterns.