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About Houston Public Works

Houston Public Works  is responsible for overseeing the Department’s services to Houston citizens through the planning, operation, maintenance, construction management and technical engineering of the City's public infrastructure. The Department’s responsibilities include operation and maintenance of the City’s streets and drainage, production and distribution of water, collection and treatment of wastewater, and permitting and regulation of public and private construction. The Department is staffed with a trained work force of approximately 3,900 employees and operates with an annual budget of approximately $1.8 billion.

 

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671 miles of service area

2.3 million people served

#1 largest water / wastewater utility in Texas

146 billion gallons of water treated annually

1.1 million street name and traffic signs

15,000 miles of street

Budget

Houston Public Works Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Presentation

Open Data

The Texas Public Information Act (the "TPIA") gives the public the right to request access to government information. You can make an online request using GovQA. The open records portal allows you to submit a public information request, manage existing requests, and view public information in the user-friendly system.

History

1933 - City of Houston created the first Public Works Department on April 24, 1933, combining the Street and Bridge Department, Engineering, Parks, Sanitary Sewer System, Motor Repair Shop and the Public Utility Department.

1943 - Parks Department separated from Houston Public Works

1993 - Solid Waste Management separated from Houston Public Works

2017 - Director changes "divisions" to Service Lines

2018 - Mayor appoints first female director

Media

Houston Public Works Communication Team is a central hub of information for all Service Lines.