A small town in Northern Texas is waiting approval from state regulators to allow treated wastewater to be blended with its drinking water, reports star-telegram.com.

Wichita Falls, a town of 104,000, has been battling drought for over three years, having its driest 41-month period since record keeping began in 1897.

The town has implanted conservation methods that cut its water usage down by half, but it hasn't been enough. The city is now awaiting approval from the state to recycle 5 million gallons of effluent, mixing 50 percent wastewater with 50 percent reservoir water.

"This 5 million gallons is going to be extremely important," public works director Russell Schreiber told star-telegram.com. "Conservation worked, but it can only go so far."

"We're taking a higher percentage than what has been done before. A version of this was done at Big Spring, Texas," Schreiber said. "The difference is they are blending 20 percent effluent with their water supply and we are blending 50 percent."

Residents have slowly come around to the idea, and see its necessity.

Mayor Glenn Barham says he'll be "the first to take a drink."

"I feel good about this. My family will drink it, my grandkids will drink it. I have no fears about this water," he said.

Read the complete story: http://www.statesman.com/news/news/state-regional/wichita-falls-awaits-ok-for-wastewater-reuse/nfY5z/