Planned North Texas Water Upgrades in 2026 Include Region’s 'Most Polluted Lake'

Controversial Lake Texoma water supply sparks customers to research home filtration options

PLANO, TX, UNITED STATES, December 9, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) will invest over $1.7 billion to upgrade regional water infrastructure in 2026. These upgrades are essential to meet the rising demands of North Texas customers, but local residents are concerned about the water quality of NTMWD’s largest new source.

Lake Texoma is a massive reservoir straddling the border of Texas and Oklahoma. The 12th-largest reservoir in America, it boasts 580 miles of shoreline and over 2.5 million acre-feet of water. It’s also one of “the most polluted lakes in the United States”, according to Climate Crisis 24/7.

Water from Lake Texoma is salty, dense in nitrogen and low in oxygen. Stormwater runoff, fertilizers and sewage lead to the growth of harmful blue-green algae, which creates more bacteria as it dies. This cycle causes a condition called eutrophication- climate and environmental experts agree that eutrophic water shouldn’t be ingested.

Still, the NTWMD’s long-term water sourcing plans include the “Texoma Two-Step”- a two-pipeline system that will deliver 90 million gallons of source water per day to customers by 2029.

The NTMWD provides water to 2.3 million residents of North Texas- notably in Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Richardson and Garland, TX. Local plumbers and home water filtration experts have seen an uptick in water filtration installation since the NTMWD expansion plan was announced in September 2025.

“Plano already has some of the hardest water in Texas,” says Mother Modern Plumbing’s Responsible Master Plumber Steven Smith. “Now, you’re putting bacteria and algae on top of that- I’m telling my own family members to get a filter.”

Local NTMWD customers are taking pointers from residents of Highland Park, who fight a consistent battle with blue-green algal blooms in their water supply. The cyanobacteria in this blue-green algae is considered harmful and toxic by the EPA, and causes eye and nose irritation, skin rash, persistent cough and gastrointestinal distress.

“Some parents just feel more comfortable giving their kids and pets bottled or filtered water,” says Martha Jackson, local resident and host of the Bubble Lounge Podcast.

Water quality experts advise NTMWD customers to take proactive action before Lake Texoma water reaches their homes. This includes installation of a home water filtration system, or a point-of-use reverse osmosis system under the sink.

“If you’re drinking water throughout the house, a whole-home filter is going to protect your family long-term,” Smith advises. “If you’re really only drinking from one sink, install a reverse osmosis filter underneath it and you’re covered.”

The benefits of quality home water filtration systems extend past removing bacteria and algae from your drinking water. Certified filters also remove viruses, pesticides, heavy metals and a percentage of PFAS (“forever chemicals”) from incoming water.

The NTMWD expansion and “Texoma Two-Step” pipeline are set to commence in 2026, with scheduled completion by 2029.

###
About Mother Modern Plumbing
Mother Modern Plumbing is a residential plumbing company based in Dallas-Fort Worth, known for its diagnostic expertise and clear, fixed pricing. As the DFW Metroplex faces water quality challenges due to expansion and population growth, Mother’s team of licensed water quality experts provides homeowners with filtration and softening solutions to protect their homes from PFAS, mineral scaling, and other contaminants. Learn more at callmother.com.

Matthew Silkwood
Mother Modern Plumbing
+1 9792201702
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.