Plumbing History

Texas Gas Boom: Pipelines, LNG and Community Impact

The Texas–Louisiana Gulf Coast is in the midst of a natural gas boom, with dozens of major pipeline projects and liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals under construction. From the Permian and Haynesville fields to the Gulf’s deepwater ports, new corridors are being built to carry vast volumes of fracked gas toward coastal plants. Industry estimates show roughly 2,900 miles of new pipelines planned just to feed LNG export terminals in Texas and Louisiana. These developments promise cheaper, more reliable fuel for power plants and new jobs – but they also raise concerns among Texas homeowners about safety, land use and the long-term energy strategy of the state.

In clear, technical detail accessible to everyday readers, this article examines the routes, capacities and impacts of the Gulf Coast pipeline build-out. We explain how new lines like the 2.5‑Bcf/day Matterhorn Express (Permian Basin to Katy), 2.5‑Bcf/d Blackcomb (Waha to Agua Dulce), 1.5‑Bcf/d Trident (Katy to Sabine Pass), and others will move gas from West Texas and east Texas into the Texas pipeline grid. We also look at how U.S. LNG export terminals – including Texas projects like Corpus Christi Stage III, Golden Pass (Sabine Pass), Rio Grande (Brownsville) and Port Arthur – are expanding capacity, requiring up to 6.9 Bcf/day of additional supply by 2027. Throughout, we focus on what this means for Texans: how the surge in pipeline capacity affects energy reliability, local prices, safety, property rights, environment and the state’s energy future....

Texas Homeowners , Sustainable Plumbing , Emergency Plumbing , Home Maintenance

Texas’ Broken Water Infrastructure: A Deep Dive into History, Crisis, and Hope

Water is now so precious in Texas that cities regularly warn residents not to drink the tap: reports Texas averaged about eight boil-water advisories per day in 2023 amid persistent infrastructure failures. This is no accident. In a recent investigation, found that many of Texas’s 7,000+ public water systems are decades old and leaking. In 2021 alone, Texas utilities reported losing roughly 132 billion gallons of treated water to breaks and leaks – enough to supply over a million homes for a year. With untreated sewage and poisoned lines sometimes spouting in neighborhoods, Texans are finding that the system delivering safe water is simply breaking down. This report traces how we got here, who is hurt most, and how communities and policymakers are scrambling for answers....

Texas Homeowners , Sustainable Plumbing , Emergency Plumbing , Home Maintenance , Plumbing Tips

Hug Your Plumber: The Invisible Heroes We Cannot Live Without

Imagine waking up early in the morning, heading to the bathroom, turning on the faucet—and having clear, cool water flow out. It’s such a common everyday thing that we don’t even think about the tremendous effort behind it. When was the last time you said “thank you” to the person who made getting water so easy?...

Sustainable Plumbing , Emergency Plumbing , Texas Homeowners

Six Revelations: Why Texas Plumbers Are the True Heroes of Our Time

One evening in a Houston home, the drain got clogged, and water began flooding into the living room. The homeowners, distressed and unsure what to do, called a local plumber named Miguel. It was raining heavily outside, and the city was still recovering from yet another thunderstorm, so the entire infrastructure was under strain. Despite being exhausted after a long workday, Miguel headed out. When he met the worried family, he got straight to work: he located the faulty valve, cleared the blockage, and gradually saved the house from severe damage. It took a few hours, but it was at that moment the residents realized that plumbers are specialists who often remain “behind the scenes” of our everyday lives—yet without them, it would be impossible to maintain even basic safety and comfort. This is especially true in a state like Texas, where extreme weather conditions demand top-notch infrastructure.

In this article, we will explore six key reasons why the plumbing profession not only deserves attention but also stands as a real backbone of society. We will also examine the specifics of a plumber’s work in Texas—a region where a construction boom, frequent weather anomalies, and rapid urban development make the plumbing field extraordinarily important and highly relevant....

Texas Homeowners , Emergency Plumbing