BRA employee leading national alliance to make water supply a priority

As water demand continues to rise, a dedicated group of about 40 member entities is working diligently to ensure that water supply is a national priority.

Leading the helm of the National Water Supply Alliance is Brad Brunett, the Brazos River Authority’s chief operations officer.

It all started about a decade ago. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for reservoirs across Texas and the nation, set out to standardize its water supply operations with a proposed “water supply rule.” However, water supply is more complex and nuanced across the country. To prevent unintended consequences, a group of agencies that store water in Corps of Engineers reservoirs came together to address these complexities.

So began the National Water Supply Alliance (NWSA).

Fast forward to today, and the alliance works to elevate water supply as an essential national priority within the Corps and Congress, Brunett said. The group advocates for federal water supply policy that recognizes state primacy and the partnership between the federal government and its partner regional, state and local governments. The alliance provides expertise on how federal reservoir policies impact water systems nationwide.

Corps reservoirs serve many purposes, from flood control to hydropower and recreation. But they are also a vital source of drinking water.

“Water supply has always been somewhat of a secondary focus for the Corps,” Brunett said. “To them, water supply is not viewed as being on the same level as their other missions, and therefore, they don’t have a lot of staff and resources devoted to it. And yet water supply is becoming more and more critical with growth across the country.”

That’s why the alliance is working to secure congressional authorization and funding for the Corps to create an office dedicated solely to water supply, Brunett said.

“My dad asked me this question a few weeks ago, before I was going to Washington, D.C. for the NWSA conference, he said, ‘What are you doing? What do y’all do?’ And I said, to put it simply, ‘We're working to ensure that your great-grandchildren and mine continue to have clean water to drink. We’re making sure that the government puts a focus on our water supply.’”

The alliance includes river authorities, like the BRA, cities, water districts, water resources districts, and states. Essentially, the bulk of members have an interest in water supply storage space in the Corps of Engineers reservoirs. The BRA, for instance, leases water supply storage from the federal government in lakes Proctor, Whitney, Aquilla, Belton, Stillhouse Hollow, Georgetown, Granger, and Somerville, which are owned and operated by the Corps.

After serving as treasurer and then vice president on the NWSA’s nine-member board, Brunett was recently named board president.

Brazos River Authority GM/CEO David Collinsworth said it’s no surprise that NWSA chose Brunett.

“Brad’s knowledge of the water industry and overall professionalism are second to none,” Collinsworth said. “The incredible amount of respect he has from his peers in our industry makes him the clear choice for this extremely important role.”

NWSA Executive Director David Mitamurra said: “The communities in the Brazos basin know well of Brad’s expertise and leadership skills, particularly in the development and management of water resources. His role as the President of the National Water Supply Alliance allows him to share his skills and knowledge across the U.S. As NWSA President, Brad is afforded a unique platform to influence federal water supply policy.”

It’s a two-year term, and Brunett said he was humbled that the other members of the organization thought enough of him to want him to serve as president.

“Sometimes I feel unworthy to be the president of this organization. We've had some outstanding leaders who provided a great deal of momentum. I'm just trying to continue that forward motion,” he said.

“We’re a bit like a special forces group, because we're a small group, there's not a ton of us. But we're narrowly focused, we're really good at what we do, and we have fun doing it. I love it.”

Brunett joined the Brazos River Authority as a hydrologist/planner in 1997. During his career with the BRA, he’s served in several different positions, including water services manager, regional business development manager, hydrologist, and regional manager for the Central/Lower Basins. He was promoted to Chief Operations Officer in 2024 and manages a staff of more than 100 employees, overseeing reservoir and dam operations, water supply management, and water and wastewater treatment.

Beyond the NWSA’s great mission, there have been other benefits to having the BRA included in this alliance. Members regularly share valuable information with each other. “For instance, the BRA has been working on its Whitney Lake Reallocation Feasibility Study project, and there are other organizations in the group who have done similar work, and some who hope to do so one day,” Brunett said. “It’s a great place to discuss ideas, common challenges, and solutions with other experts.”

“Brad has dedicated his career to Texas’ water supply and Texas is better because of him,” Collinsworth said. “It is great to see his talents helping a nationwide audience.”

Besides working with the NWSA, Brunett is also currently a member of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Brazos Watermaster Advisory Committee.

Brunett received a Bachelor of Science degree in hydrology and water resources in 1994 from Tarleton State University in Stephenville. He’d originally planned to take some basic courses, then transfer to Texas A&M University in College Station for an engineering degree. But one day at Tarleton’s campus, he walked into the engineering building and saw that it also housed the hydrology department. Curious, he did some research, and suddenly engineering didn’t seem as interesting. Brunett had stumbled upon a field of study surrounding something he already loved: water. After all, water will always be essential, making the field both important and rewarding.

Growing up in Whitney, Brunett spent as much time on the water as he could. Now, he cherishes creating new memories with his family, fishing on the waters he loves with those he loves. He and his wife, Angie, have made Whitney their lifelong home, raising three children and now enjoying time with their two granddaughters.