Task force presses Austin Water to test feasibility of major supply projects including indirect potable reuse and aquifer storage and recovery

Task force members pressed Austin Water staff to confirm real‑world feasibility and regulatory readiness for major supply strategies that the Water Forward Plan relies on, including indirect potable reuse (IPR), aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) and an off‑channel reservoir study at Walter E. Long.

Staff said the IPR effort is advancing with consultant support for water‑quality modeling and for a TCEQ permit submittal; staff said they will submit permit materials, receive initial TCEQ feedback and refine treatment requirements before discharging reclaimed effluent into Lady Bird Lake. Staff also said consultants are identifying potential routes for a reclaimed transmission main and that intake/pumping infrastructure to Ulrich and treatment improvements are being advanced because they provide multiple benefits beyond IPR.

On ASR and off‑channel reservoir options, members urged staff to ‘run these things to ground’ — that is, to identify fatal flaws early (permitting, land acquisition, local opposition) and develop fallback or hedging strategies so the plan is not left reliant on projects that later prove infeasible.

Community and political concerns: Members noted that similar projects have been implemented elsewhere in Texas but cautioned that permitting and local opposition can create political obstacles. Several members asked staff to include community outreach early in project permitting and to report back on outreach plans.

Staff response: Austin Water said it is advancing technical studies, permit submittals and transmission planning; staff offered to provide a future presentation focused on implementation status and adaptive project sequencing to address feasibility and contingency planning.