As summer approaches and demand for water climbs, the city of Celina is urging residents to stick to conservation habits — and reminding them that help is on the way amid rapid growth.
During a March 25 city council meeting, Celina officials outlined both the city’s current water restrictions and a long-awaited regional solution: Lake Ralph Hall, scheduled to come online in 2026.
Lake Ralph Hall: A Long Time Coming
The story of Lake Ralph Hall began over 30 years ago in a small town hall meeting in Ladonia, Texas. Faced with the dual goals of securing a stable water supply and jumpstarting their local economy, then-Mayor Leon Hurse and other civic leaders began to explore the idea of building a new lake in Fannin County.
Over time, with encouragement from Congressman Ralph Hall, Ladonia sought out a larger partner to make the project viable. In 2004, the city entered into a formal partnership with UTRWD to develop the new lake on the North Sulphur River.
After nearly a decade of regulatory hurdles, environmental studies and engineering plans, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality granted UTRWD a water rights permit in 2013. The final federal green light came in 2020, and construction officially broke ground in June 2021.
“This marks a key step in ensuring a reliable water supply for our customer communities in North Texas,” Upper Trinity’s Executive Director Larry Patterson previously said.
How The Lake Will Help North Texas
Celina currently receives its water through a ten-million-gallon-per-day subscription with the Upper Trinity Regional Water District (UTRWD), a nonprofit wholesale water provider serving fast-growing communities across North Texas. While the city is only using around four million gallons per day on average, officials say the pressure on the system will only increase as temperatures rise and population growth continues.
No additional water supply is expected until Lake Ralph Hall is operational in May 2026. The UTRWD has two more projects in the pipeline — a second feed line and a plant expansion — but those won’t be ready until at least the summer of 2028.
When completed, Lake Ralph Hall will not only provide essential drinking water to UTRWD’s 29 member communities — including Celina — but also generate billions in economic activity across North Texas. For the City of Ladonia, located just five minutes from the lake, the project also brings new possibilities for recreation, tourism and long-term vitality.
Fishing, boating and hunting are expected to attract visitors from across the region, and the project has garnered support from more than 35 local organizations, including city governments, chambers of commerce, water districts and community groups.
As the population of Collin and Denton counties continues to surge, UTRWD says conservation alone won’t meet future water needs. That’s where Lake Ralph Hall fits in: not just as a short-term relief valve, but as a generational investment in the region’s resilience.
“An additional source of water is needed by the mid-2020s to meet Upper Trinity’s anticipated water service demands,” Patterson said. “Lake Ralph Hall is the most feasible and lowest cost source of new water available to Upper Trinity, and it can be built in time to avoid a water shortage.”
Celina Residents Asked To Cut Back
In the meantime, Celina is focused on encouraging voluntary conservation while enforcing mandatory restrictions. First-time violators receive a warning, typically in the form of a door hanger or yard sign. Second offenses may result in a city request to disconnect irrigation systems. By the third violation, residents risk water disconnection, fines and reconnection fees.
Fines range from $500 to $2,000, and the standard reconnection fee is $25. Citations can be issued by police officers, code enforcement staff, or other city employees. While the policies may feel strict to some, city leaders say they’re necessary until long-term solutions come online — chief among them, Lake Ralph Hall.
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