Sonora Bank in New Braunfels receives the Texas Rain Catcher Award

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

AUSTIN – (October 17, 2024) – The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) announced today the recipients of its annual Texas Rain Catcher Award, a rainwater harvesting competition and recognition program. Sonora Bank in New Braunfels, Texas, was recognized in the commercial 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 rainwater harvesting system at Sonora Bank uses collected rainwater for irrigation purposes, which conserves municipal water during times of drought, helps reduce the building’s carbon footprint, and performs a stormwater detention function for the property. The system is comprised of a 20,259-gallon corrugated metal liner tank that was designed to be integrated into the site. With a large roof area and relatively small landscaping area that needs to be irrigated, the rainwater harvesting system meets a large portion of the annual irrigation water demand while lessening reliance on municipal water.

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. Sonora Bank is one of six 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.