Division of Energy and Innovation

Philip Taucer, PE, Associate, Water Resources Planning, Freese and Nichols, Inc.

philip.taucer@freese.com | 713-600-6835 | Organization Website

Philip has worked in long-range water supply planning and integrated planning in the upper Texas coast and surrounding regions for 17 years. He and his team support public entities, state agencies, and industries in projection of water needs, evaluation of supply strategies, hydrologic analysis, supply modeling, permitting, conservation and drought planning, and supply accounting. He holds a degree in Biological and Agricultural Engineering from Texas A&M University. Outside of work, he enjoys farming and hiking with his family.

Hitting the Trail: The Long Path for Future Water Management

Water is a vital resource for all aspects of our society, yet it often goes unnoticed in the background… until it doesn’t. Integrated planning accounts for all aspects of the water cycle involving elements of both supply and flood protection and aims to avoid disaster that can come from either the lack (droughts) or overabundance (floods) of water. Recent and ongoing efforts in southeast Texas have provided great insight into the future of water management within the region. The ongoing efforts of the Harris-Galveston and Fort Bend Subsidence Districts aim to effectively manage groundwater resources in a way that provides adequate, reliable supplies while preventing land subsidence that contributes to flooding and infrastructure failure. Their scientific investigation and review of regulatory policy will shape the availability of groundwater within the region. This is an integral part of the Region H Regional Water Plan which will be completed in 2025. This plan identifies water needs and potential water management strategies that will be required through the year 2080. Similarly, the recent State Flood Plan identified flood risk and mitigatory projects for the entirety of the state, including flood management for Houston and southeast Texas. All of these processes take a long-term perspective on water management in order to account for the long cycles of planning, design, and construction required to bring critical infrastructure online. Participation in these efforts by all stakeholders, including industry and the public sector, are essential for ensuring a bright future for our valuable resources.

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Margaret Cook, PhD, Deputy Director, Climate Equity and Resilience, HARC.

mcook@harcresearch.org | Organization Website

Dr. Margaret Cook is the Deputy Director – Climate Equity and Resilience. In this role, she develops and manages HARC’s Climate Equity Initiative and supports community engagement and community benefits priorities within HARC projects. Her research interests include interconnections between water, energy, and climate science and policy.

Prior to working at HARC, Dr. Cook’s research focused on the potential for mitigation of water stress in Texas, and she has also worked on improving water recycling in the oil and gas industry with the aim of reducing total fresh water use in water-scarce West Texas. She has used her expertise working at the Texas Legislature, the U.S. Department of Energy, Apache Corporation, and Austin Energy. She also served as Scientist in Residence, teaching science and environmental studies classes at under-resourced schools in Austin.

Dr. Cook earned her Doctorate in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin Cockrell School of Engineering with a certificate in Engineering Education in 2018. She earned dual Masters degrees in Public Affairs and Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from UT-Austin

Water, Sustainability, and Equity in Texas

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Amanda Tyndall, Vertical Market Manager Industrial & Environmental for Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions Analytical Instruments.

amanda.tyndall1@veolia.com |  Organization Website

With 10 years experience in the water industry, Amanda and her team partner with industries and municipalities to solve water quality challenges from ultrapure water to wastewater. She has previously worked as a senior product manager and application specialist with Analytical Instruments and a Product Developer with Crocs Footwear. Her background is in chemical engineering with a Bachelors Degree from Vanderbilt University and a Masters Degree from University of Cambridge. Amanda lives near Boulder, CO with her husband and two dogs and is an avid runner.

Industrial Water Management Strategies for Compliance, Sustainability and Cost Efficiency

Water serves crucial functions for manufacturing, whether employed in processing, heating, cooling, cleaning or as an essential ingredient. However, 90% or more of water intake in industrial processes ends up as wastewater. While often regarded as creating undesirable costs, treating wastewater for reuse or before being discharged into the environment can be an opportunity. Considering that more industries around the world face sustainability mandates from consumers and regulators as well as rising energy and material costs by tackling toxic wastewater, processing facilities can reduce their water footprint and increase water reuse, leading to better overall water management. Identifying what factors contribute to wastewater generation can help a facility monitor critical control points to optimize treatment, avoid fines, and reduce costs. With improved technologies to track contamination, processing facilities can make rapid decisions to achieve compliance and take advantage of opportunities for onsite reclamation and reuse. Learn about these challenges, opportunities, and specific strategies to improve industrial water management.

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