Marble Falls Mayor Champions Toilet-to-Tap Water Reuse as Hill Country Growth Strains Infrastructure

As the Texas Hill Country continues to boom, Marble Falls Mayor John Packer is betting on direct potable reuse—commonly known as toilet-to-tap—to secure the city’s water future. In the latest episode of The Building Texas Show, Packer discussed the city’s three-pronged water plan, which combines Highland Lakes surface water, a newly purchased well water system, and recycled wastewater from a relocated treatment plant. The episode, titled ‘Marble Falls, TX: Close Enough to Austin, Far Enough Away,’ was recorded lakeside with construction underway, reflecting the city’s rapid development.

Packer, a small business owner and returning mayor after a four-year break, framed water as the defining issue for Texas cities. ‘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,’ he told host Justin McKenzie. While acknowledging the concept ‘makes people cringe a little bit,’ Packer insisted, ‘it’s the future.’

The push for water recycling comes as drought pressure mounts west of the dry line and the city grapples with aging 1950s-era infrastructure. Marble Falls is also coordinating with TxDOT, LCRA, TCEQ, and the county on key transportation corridors, including the 281 and 1431 intersection and the Highway 71 corridor. More than 35,000 vehicles cross through town daily on Highway 281, a route stretching from Mexico to the northern United States, yet traffic nearly vanishes after 7 p.m., complicating TxDOT funding cases.

Beyond water and traffic, the city is investing in quality-of-life projects. A new lakefront hotel conference center is under construction, connecting Main Street shops and restaurants to Lake Marble Falls. The Economic Development Corporation is focusing on business retention and facade grants rather than financial incentive packages. Packer also highlighted 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.

The conversation also surfaced operational realities behind growth. Packer recounted how the July 4th flooding turned Lake Marble Falls into ‘chocolate milk,’ quadrupling treatment cycle times for weeks. The city’s water plan, which includes direct potable reuse from a relocated wastewater plant, is among the most ambitious in the region. The episode is available on YouTube and wherever podcasts are heard.

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