WIMBERLEY, Texas '025 ' The Wimberley City Council voted unanimously Thursday to begin withdrawing the city's Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) permit, WQ00113321001, and directed staff to notify the permitting authority to start the administrative withdrawal process.

The action came during a public hearing on the permit. Mayor Jim Chiles opened the hearing and council discussion before a motion to not renew the permit was made and seconded; the vote was unanimous.

The move followed comments from councilmembers and residents questioning whether continued permit authorization to discharge effluent posed risks to the Blanco River and whether alternatives such as reclaimed-water infrastructure should be pursued. Councilmember Rebecca Minnick (Place 1) said improvements in treatment technology make pursuing other options feasible and that a reclaimed-water plant could aid local fire protection by providing on-site water for suppression in emergencies.

Resident Teresa Graves, whose neighborhood borders the river, asked how the city will handle wastewater flow once the permit is withdrawn and whether a permit is required for the systems currently in use. City staff responded that a lift station pushes effluent up to Aqua Texas, which holds a separate permit and handles spray application on land; staff said the city's current downtown collection flows to that system.

Council discussed that a small fenced two-acre spray field listed in the city's permit is not presently active and that any change will require follow-up actions and coordination with the entities that currently hold permits for land application. The council indicated staff will send notice to the permitting authority and pursue alternative paths.

No formal plan for a reclaimed-water plant or funding for new infrastructure was adopted at the meeting; councilmembers said the withdrawal clears the immediate administrative path and gives staff time to evaluate alternatives. The council opened the hearing for public comment before the vote; several residents spoke in opposition to discharging into the Blanco River and sought clarity on next steps.

The council did not set a timeline for a replacement solution and did not authorize construction or funding for a reclaimed-water facility at the meeting. Staff said the next administrative step is to submit notice to the permitting agency to withdraw the TPDES permit.