exTRA by the Trinity River Authority of Texas

A "nationally known" water bottling company that purchased a tract of land in Conroe Park North has backed out, city officials said. The company was not officially named but is believed to have been Niagara Bottling, according to previous reporting from Community Impact Newspaper.

Earlier this week the DeSoto City Council voted yes on a Water Distribution Master Plan that will take the city into the next 25 years. At the end of the presentation before council voted unanimously to accept, DeSoto Mayor Rachel Proctor reminded residents, “Council is looking at solutions to offset any costs for the capital project related to this distribution plan.”

Friendswood has several drainage projects in the works, and they are on schedule to begin this summer, officials said at a May 3 Friendswood City Council meeting. Imperial Estates is a former development the city bought out due to it being flood prone. So far, 116,000 truckloads of dirt have been moved at the site to allow the city and Galveston County Consolidated Drainage District to terrace the site to mitigate flooding, Deputy Engineering Director Samantha Haritos said.

Beginning this month, wastewater rate calculations for City of San Marcos residential customers will be adjusted to minimize the impact of Winter Storm Uri. During their May 4 regular meeting, City Council approved a temporary change in the formula used to calculate residential wastewater rates to ensure customers are not overcharged in the upcoming year as a result of the unprecedented winter weather event. 

Where your water comes from is something you probably don’t think too much about. But the fact is, that if the water supply isn’t increased, many North Texans could face restrictions. For the first time in decades, Texas has a new reservoir to help meet demand. NBC 5’s Meredith Yeomans took a trip to Fannin County to see this massive project first-hand.

As the sun rises over the rolling hills on the horizon, Brenda Chapman and her husband can stand on the wooden porch of their farmhouse and look downhill at the horses and cattle grazing on the green pasture owned by her neighbors, Scott and Maria Gruendler.

The Cottonwood Shores City Council on May 6 agreed to transfer water taps paid for 15 years ago to land investors trying to lure developers with the amenity. “The folks who own the property aren’t developers; they’re investors in the land,” Mayor Don Orr said. “They’re going to solicit developers and sell those properties to them. (The water taps) are a bargaining chip.”

Rainfall totals in our area have been exceedingly high for the past few weeks. Storms this past Sunday sent that number way out of normal range, and rain gauges overflowed. So much rain, that it's actually overwhelmed the City of Nacogdoches Wastewater Treatment Plant. The capacity of the system is being over reached by almost 100%.

The city’s $22 million federal stimulus check is going to help fund water, sewer and drainage projects while expanding broadband coverage. At City Hall, City Manager Dan Serna is also giving every city employee a $1,000 bonus for working during the coronavirus pandemic.

Two entities across different states will distribute water from the Rio Grande to farmers in the region.New Mexico will distribute far less than Texas and it all has to do because of severe drought conditions plaguing the area. 

A consultant has presented over $1.6 billion worth of potential regional flood solutions for Friendswood, Pearland and beyond. Consulting firm Freese and Nichols came up with the proposed projects after a year of research of the Clear Creek and Dickinson Bayou watersheds.

It was a busy night at the Breckenridge City Commission meeting Tuesday, May 4, with new commissioners being sworn in, local students making a presentation, and actions being taken on topics including the water/sewer rates and the swimming pool operations.

A small invasive species is making its way into Texas' waterways, and you have the power to stop it. Zebra mussels are one of the most problematic aquatic invasive species in the state, as they put native fisheries at risk and can coat and clog water infrastructure, such as pipes, causing millions of dollars in damage.