exTRA by the Trinity River Authority of Texas

The City of Buda conducts its annual wastewater (sewer) rate averaging every year from November through February. During this timeframe residents have an opportunity to make changes that can have a positive effect on future bills. Residents who take measures to reduce water consumption and fix leaks during this period can reduce the amount charged over the preceding 12 months for the wastewater portion of their bills.

Two changes part of Austin Water's Water Forward, a 100-year plan to ensure the city has water as it continues to grow and avoid any drought concerns, go into effect Wednesday, December 1. This measure will require all new major developments larger than 250,000 square feet within 500 feet of a reclaimed water line to connect to it and the move will expand conservation efforts.

Abilene will roll out its new smart meter technology this Thursday at the city council meeting. The goal is to get a true reading on how much water you use and how much you will pay. “Its been over two years of work to replace over 42,000 meters in our system along with the capabilities to take advantage of this smart technology.”

More than five months after workers broke ground in rural Fannin County, progress is continuing on the construction of Lake Ralph Hall, a massive $490 million project that will deliver water to thousands of North Texas residents when it is completed. The Upper Trinity Regional Water District has authorized $12.5 million in contracts toward designing some components of the project, and workers are making progress on the Leon Hurse Dam and the State Highway 34 bridge that will cross over the North Sulphur River, the water district announced.

The Texas Water Development Board has approved $7,305,000 in financial assistant to help the town of Mart to design and rebuild the wastewater system. The City of Mart, located 20 miles east of Waco, provides water and wastewater services to approximately 2,000 residents and 850 active connections. Its wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is hydraulically limited, and many basins are process limited such that they are not able to treat permitted flows, especially during rain events.

The Conroe Industrial Development Corp. deferred action regarding the funding of the new $35 million Oscar Johnson Community Center after several members said conflicting information from city staff left them “confused” about the effects the city’s new wastewater treatment plant would have on the neighboring facility. The issue came to light during the Conroe City Council meeting Nov. 10.

An integrated master water plan was discussed this week by local leaders, and the future of Laredo’s only water source was outlined as there is an increasing need to find a new one for the growing population. According to consultants from the Lockwood, Andrews and Newman Inc. Engineering planning firm, population projections forecast the populace doubling by 2070.

Cities in the Texas Panhandle like Canyon are coping with a population increase, as more people move into Canyon, the city accommodates the demands for fresh water needs. In this week’s Panhandle Run’s on Water, ABC 7 News looks at how the city is spending $4 million to provide more water.

In September, more than 300 civil engineers and industry experts from across Texas and beyond gathered in San Marcos for the American Society of Civil Engineers' Texas Section flagship annual conference – the Texas Civil Engineering Conference or CECON. This three-day event – organized by dedicated volunteers – is the place for engineers to engage in professional development, build business relationships, and engage in peer-to-peer technical exchange.

The city of Pearland could move away from its 32/30 plan sooner than expected. The 32/30 plan was created to solve an issue caused by the city choosing to move to a 28-day billing period at the end of 2018 that created a 71- to 78-day gap in revenue between the city’s water customers’ billing read date and bill date. Under the 32/30 system, the city reads meters on a 32-day cycle and bills residents every 30 days.

In 2019, the San Antonio River Authority (River Authority) was awarded a Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, administered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), to develop a master plan for the use of green storm  water infrastructure (GSI). This three-year grant project builds off recommendations made in the Upper San Antonio River (USAR) Watershed Protection Plan to implement GSI to reduce storm water runoff pollution and addresses measures in the Texas Non-Point Source Management Program. 

Starting Dec. 1, eligible new developments in Austin will need to include water-conservation measures. The new requirements are in response to City Council actions and subsequent code amendments adopted in recent months. Once the new terms take effect, developments submitting site plans must include a water benchmarking application, while large developments greater than 250,000 square feet will need to consult with Austin Water to discuss water efficiency requirements and incentives for alternative water use.