Bayou: Slow-moving, marshy waterway that plays a crucial role in the city's drainage system, helping to manage floodwaters during heavy rains (e.g., Buffalo Bayou).
Recycled water: Treated wastewater that can be used for beneficial purposes, such as drinking water, irrigation, and industrial processes.
Resilience: Ability to adapt to and quickly recover from various stresses and disruptions, including natural disasters and human-made challenges.
Subsidence: Gradual sinking or caving in of an area of land due to natural processes or human activities, such as unsustainable groundwater extraction.
Sustainability: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainability considers social, economic and environmental needs.
Water Equity: Just and fair inclusion that occurs when all communities have access to clean, safe, affordable drinking water and wastewater services; are resilient in the face of floods, drought, and other climate risks; have a role in decision-making processes related to water management in their communities; and share in the economic, social, and environmental benefits of water systems.