exTRA by the Trinity River Authority of Texas

Google is making a $10 million investments into Texas in the form of a water impact fund. This pledge comes as Google has numerous data center projects underway in the Lone Star State, including an operational sit in Ellis County.

“This impact fund will complement our ongoing water stewardship and replenishment work, and further our promise to responsibly manage vital water resources where we build and operate data centers, while ensuring our growth never comes at the expense of local households,” Google said in a statement.

Microplastics are everywhere, and we mean that quite literally. These plastic particles, which a growing body of evidence suggests can harm human health in myriad ways, are found in vegetables, seafood, cheese, glass bottles, and across our waterways, including the water we drink. That's the bad news. The good news is that researchers around the world are exploring ways to mitigate microplastic exposure, including researchers from the University of Missouri, who say they may have found a way to remove microplastics from water using specially engineered algae. 

CPS Energy President and CEO Rudy Garza is leaving the city-owned utility to take on the general manager role at the Lower Colorado River Authority. Garza, who has led the organization since becoming the interim CEO in November 2021, delivered his notice of intent to retire on Monday, the utility announced.

The City Council voted May 26 to hire outside legal counsel to represent the city in matters involving allegations related to PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of manmade chemicals that do not break down easily in the environment and have been linked to potential health risks. The source and details of the allegations were not disclosed in public documents or during the meeting.

Crews responded to a wastewater spill at the Roberto Bustamante Wastewater Treatment Plant on Sunday, May 31, according to El Paso Water. Officials reported the spill was contained within the El Paso Water property. Cleanup and disinfection efforts are ongoing, as of Tuesday, June 2.

The San Angelo City Council is poised to vote on whether to adopt water use and wastewater discharge regulations for data centers as part of ongoing efforts to establish guidelines for the facilities. According to the agenda for the City Council’s June 2 meeting, two items on the consent agenda will task councilmembers with listening to second readings for ordinances to adopt data center regulations for wastewater discharge and water use. Both ordinances would implement these regulations by amending Chapter 11 of the Code of Ordinances, titled “Utilities.”

The city of Georgetown is taking another step to secure its future water supply, announcing plans in May to significantly increase the amount of groundwater available to the city. Georgetown city leaders signed a term sheet with Recharge Water LP that would provide up to 34,800 acre-feet of groundwater per year, sourced from the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer in Bastrop and Lee counties.

It’s a community hotspot for swimming in the hot summer months, but was does the future of Krause Springs look like? Although the spring has never run dry, will it continue to stay healthy despite drought and increased pumping? Meteorologist Kristen Currie spoke with Mitchell Sodek with the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District to discuss the current studies being done to understand the geology and environment that surrounds Krause Springs.

A colonia near Socorro celebrated getting sewer hookups thanks to a joint project with El Paso County and the Lower Valley Water District. Friday, May 29, the County celebrated the completion of a wastewater infrastructure project that brought sewer hookups to about 120 families in Panorama Village, an unincorporated area near Socorro.