In the latest episode of The Building Texas Show, host Justin McKenzie sits down with Marble Falls Mayor John Packer to discuss how the small Hill Country city is tackling growth, aging infrastructure, and water scarcity. Recorded lakeside with construction in the background, the episode highlights Marble Falls' three-pronged water strategy that includes direct potable reuse—often called toilet-to-tap—as a key component. With drought pressure mounting west of the dry line, Packer argues that such measures are not optional for Texas's future.
Packer, a small business owner of more than 20 years and a returning mayor after a four-year break, frames water as the defining issue for Texas cities. On the proposed reuse system, he tells McKenzie: "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 acknowledges the concept "makes people cringe a little bit," but insists, "it's the future."
The conversation covers a wide span of city-building topics drawn directly from Marble Falls' current agenda. A new lakefront hotel conference center is now under construction, connecting Main Street shops and restaurants to Lake Marble Falls. The city's Economic Development Corporation strategy largely avoids financial incentive packages and focuses on business retention and facade grants. The water plan combines Highland Lakes surface water, a newly purchased well water system, and direct potable reuse from a relocated wastewater plant.
Packer also highlights operational realities behind growth. He recounts how the July 4th flooding turned Lake Marble Falls into "chocolate milk," quadrupling treatment cycle times for weeks. He explains that 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. Coordination with TxDOT, LCRA, TCEQ, and the county on the 281 and 1431 intersection and the Highway 71 corridor is ongoing.
Quality-of-life investments are also part of the discussion: 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 episode underscores how Marble Falls is navigating Central Texas growth with forward-thinking infrastructure and a willingness to embrace innovative water solutions.