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PUA warns El Nino could ease drought as agency outlines plant expansions and phased rate increases
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Summary
Jack, the West Travis County Public Utility Agency appointee, told Bee Cave council the Highland Lakes are about 84% full and outlined planned water and wastewater expansions, phased-in wastewater fee increases and the agency's reuse options, while councilors pressed staff on graywater and service-capacity rules.
Jack, an appointee to the West Travis County Public Utility Agency, gave the Bee Cave City Council an update on regional water planning and the PUA's capital projects at the council's March 24 regular meeting.
Jack said forecasts point toward an El Nino pattern that generally brings cooler, wetter weather. "El Nino means, cooler, wetter weather," he said, and noted the Highland Lakes (Travis and Buchanan) were about 84% full as of the agency's most recent data. He said that, if rainfall follows favorable El Nino patterns, it could help refill aquifers and reservoirs and reduce near-term supply pressure.
The PUA is advancing several capital projects, Jack said, including design of a water-plant expansion near the Uplands that would raise production capacity to roughly 33 million gallons per day, and a proposed wastewater treatment expansion at Bowles of about 500,000 gallons per day.
On rates, Jack said the agency has not raised water rates since about 2016 and wastewater rates since about 2017, and the PUA is implementing phased wastewater fee increases to address inflationary costs and deferred adjustments. "We have not had a rate increase, I think, on water since 2016 and on wastewater since 2017," he said, adding the increases would be phased in over three years for wastewater volumetric charges.
Council members questioned staff about reuse and graywater options for irrigation. Jack said the agency already supports some graywater uses under Texas land application permit (TLAP) rules, but those permits are specific and "those assets have to take the water." He noted conversions can be possible but costly, citing a conversion at Spanish Oaks that he estimated cost about $2,000,000.
On the feasibility of using effluent to irrigate Central Park, Jack said the PUA has capacity in principle but that delivery can require new piping and contractual arrangements. "I think you could probably do Central Park with a 4 inch line," he said, adding that project costs would depend on boring and routing.
The council and staff also discussed the living unit equivalent (LUE) process that governs service extensions: larger requests require a service-extension request and, if capacity and service-area criteria are met, a non-standard service agreement (NSSA) and impact fees.
Jack closed by thanking the council and saying he looks forward to working with municipalities and stakeholders as projects move forward. The council did not take formal action on PUA items at the meeting.
