City of Heath puts moratorium on residential, commercial development over water concerns

City of Heath pauses development over water concerns

Leaders in the small city of Heath, about 25 miles east of Dallas, put a moratorium on new residential and commercial development because its infrastructure can't keep up.

HEATH, Texas - Leaders in the small city of Heath, about 25 miles east of Dallas, put a moratorium on new residential and commercial development because its infrastructure can't keep up.

The city, straddling Rockwall and Kaufman Counties, has a supply and demand problem when it comes to water usage for its more than 10,000 residents.

"We have a limited water supply, and so we’re in the process of finding new water sources, but also putting in place conservation methods," said Heath Mayor Kelson Elam.

That's why at Tuesday night's Heath City Council meeting members approved a 6-month moratorium on commercial and residential development.

There was one nay.

"All new construction, we’re working on how do we come in and put in drought-tolerant vegetation," said Mayor Elam.

The mayor says the moratorium excludes builds that are already planned out for construction.

"Our ordinances are going to be changing. We currently have 861 homes platted, so they’re going to be built one way or another by under the old rules," said Elam.

Before the vote, some residents voiced their opposition to the moratorium in vain.

"This moratorium will put a halt to my builder's contract. He has told me he would have to pull the contract," said one person.

"Our problem is we have to find a source and guess what we’ll get to pay for that," said another.

City pauses new construction over water concerns

A small but growing North Texas city is pausing construction on new homes and businesses. Leaders in Heath say it's because the city's infrastructure can't keep up. FOX 4's Hanna Battah explains what this means for those planning to move to the city.

The mayor says the city uses 1.5 million gallons of water on a normal day, but during the summer when homes and businesses are watering lawns and landscaping, they can go over 6 million.

Mayor Elam says the City of Rockwall supplies 6 million gallons of water a day and that the City of Heath may be looking to Dallas as a future water source.

"It used to be all anyone worried about was what does it cost. I think one time we went over 6 million in 2014. Since 2022, we’ve gone over 6 million 22 times," the mayor said.

For the last two summers the mayor says Heath had to impelement water restrictions.

"So the reason for the moratorium is we don’t want to dig that hole any deeper. So this moratorium is to allow us time to out the conservation models in place," he said.

Multiple council members said they are not against development.

The mayor says the city is also doing studies to determine where they are going to get alternative water sources.