Standen residence receives the Texas Water Development Board’s Texas Rain Catcher Award

For immediate release. Contact: Media Relations at 512-463-5129

AUSTIN – (October 5, 2023) – The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) announced today the recipients of its annual Texas Rain Catcher Award, a rainwater harvesting competition and recognition program. The Standen residence in Austin, Texas, was recognized in the residential category.

The TWDB's Texas Rain Catcher Award recognizes excellence in the application of rainwater harvesting systems in Texas, promotes rainwater harvesting technology, and educates the public on this critical water-saving practice.

The Standen residence was designed and built with rainwater harvesting in mind since municipal water service is unavailable in the neighborhood. The design provides for 100 percent of the household water needs by maximizing the 4,000-square foot metal roof collection area while minimizing the conveyance distance between roof eaves and storage tanks. The two 10,000-gallon storage tanks are located underneath an exterior deck, allowing the system to conform to the natural slope of the lot while keeping the tanks out of sight. By collecting and capturing rainwater, Mr. Standen has conserved local groundwater resources by avoiding the need to drill a well, minimized erosion, and provided water back into the watershed through an underground overflow pipe.

The Texas Rain Catcher Award competition began in 2007 and is open to all individuals, companies, organizations, municipalities, and other local and state governmental entities in Texas. It recognizes entities and individuals in the rainwater harvesting community and beyond and establishes award recipients as dedicated water conservation leaders in Texas. The Standen residence is one of five awardees being recognized statewide this year.

To learn more about previous Texas Rain Catcher Award winners, visit the TWDB website.

The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional water and flood planning, and preparing the state water and flood plans. The TWDB administers cost-effective financial assistance programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood mitigation, and agricultural water conservation projects.