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Wells Branch MUD to pursue meter testing, leak detection and asbestos‑pipe evaluation after RJN audit
Summary
District staff summarized RJN Group recommendations including a meter-testing program, proactive leak detection, valve checks, and a prioritized evaluation of asbestos‑cement pipe; the board authorized further study and pledged follow‑up presentations to committees and the full board.
District staff outlined a series of water‑management and system‑renewal recommendations following a Phase 2 desk-audit by RJN Group at the May 20 Wells Branch Municipal Utility District meeting.
District Manager Shirley Ross summarized RJN’s findings and staff plans: improve outreach to multifamily properties, update the District’s mobile web experience for better customer engagement, implement a meter-testing program that would replace residential meters after they register 1,000,000 gallons, adopt a proactive leak-detection program, and increase routine valve inspections. Ross said the goal is to be “more proactive in managing the District’s aging water infrastructure.”
Utility manager Ben Ingallina reported operational findings that support RJN’s recommendations: NRW discovered ten leaks estimated at a combined 45 gallons per minute, with one leak near 15110 Bratton Lane leaking about 15 gpm; overall system water loss was reported at 3.5% after adjustments. Ingallina also reported the District’s lead-and-copper school project (LCRR) was scheduled for completion by month end.
Why it matters: The recommendations target system reliability and conservation and could affect future capital spending and rates. RJN also recommended conducting a prioritized assessment of asbestos‑cement pipe and developing a replacement plan where warranted. Consor engineer Jason Baze and staff will present deeper findings to Finance Committee and later to the full board to set priorities and an implementation schedule.
During the meeting, staff also noted the District’s MS4 permit application remained under review at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and that the inspector’s only substantive finding in the recent TCEQ inspection was the District’s lack of a current wholesale water agreement with the City of Austin. Legal counsel John Bartram also briefed directors about House Bill 638, a proposed bill to require audio/visual recordings of water‑district meetings; Bartram said the Association of Water Board Directors urged members to contact the bill’s sponsor, Senator Betancourt, to express opposition based on cost and operational impacts.
Next steps: RJN will present additional task recommendations at future Finance Committee meetings and a comprehensive presentation to the full board; staff will return to the board with proposed timing and cost estimates for meter testing, leak detection work, and any prioritized pipe‑replacement planning.
