exTRA by the Trinity River Authority of Texas

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that it is approving Texas’ request to administer the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program for discharges from produced water, hydrostatic test water and gas plant effluent or oil and gas discharges, within the state of Texas. 

“El Paso Water continues to strengthen its portfolio of water resources by investing in infrastructure and responsibly managing our sources,” said John Balliew, EPWater President/CEO. “In a challenging year for many, EPWater and our essential workers continued to deliver for our customers.”

The city of Huntsville has battled foreign objects in the wastewater system for some time. Wastewater Superintendent Stacy Lawler said the City's sewer and wastewater systems are facing new issues from clogs and pump failures. But what is causing all the issues? Flushable wipes, while named so, are not designed to disintegrate in the city's system. But, the newest culprit is none other than latex gloves, disposable face masks, wet wipes and disinfectant wipes.

Two water line construction bids were approved by the Willow Park city council Tuesday night in bringing Fort Worth water to the city. The council had previously approved Request for Proposal authorization and Mountain Cascade of Texas, LLC was approved with a bid of $3,785,832 to construct the pipeline running from the Fort Worth storage tank to 203 El Chico Trail in Willow Park.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has issued a statement claiming that invasive zebra mussels have been successfully eradicated from Lake Waco, preventing property damage, protecting water supply infrastructure and avoiding harm to the aquatic ecosystem. The department, however, emphasized the vital importance of continued help from boaters, marina operators and others to Clean, Drain and Dry boats before moving them and remain vigilant to stop the spread.

The city of Riesel is getting $5,860,00 in financial assistance for improvements to its water system. The assistance comes from the Texas Water Development Board and consists of a $5,360,000 loand and $500,000 in loan forgiveness. The city will use the assistance to finance planning, acquisition, design and construction costs for the project.

Drier weather conditions are starting to take their toll on Lake Corpus Christi, which is why Beeville residents are being asked to conserve water. The reservoir, which spans into portions of Jim Wells, Live Oak and San Patricio counties, serves as Beeville’s primary water source. Officials say that it has dropped below 40 percent of its storage capacity, which Beeville City Manager John Benson said automatically triggered Stage 1 of the city’s drought contingency plan Dec. 29.

Due to a break in a major water main causing low pressure to some customers and a disruption of service to others, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has required Levi Water Supply to notify their customers who had a disruption of service or reduced pressure on Wednesday to boil their water prior to consumption.

(ARLINGTON, TX) –The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the Trinity River Authority of Texas for its 2019 comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

An Award of Financial Reporting Achievement will be presented to the Authority’s finance department for their work on the award-winning CAFR.

“We are honored to receive this award for the fifth consecutive year,” said Chief Financial Officer Alison Mackey. “This achievement represents our continued commitment to providing financial transparency. I am proud of the finance department’s hard work and dedication year after year.”

The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR. The report is reviewed by members of the GFOA staff and Special Review Committee. The committee includes individuals with expertise in public sector financial reporting, financial statement preparers, independent auditors, academics and other finance professionals.

The GFOA advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources and practical research for more than 21,000 members and the communities they serve. The certificate program was developed to encourage and support local and state governments to exceed the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles. For more information, visit www.gfoa.org.

For the first time, the Texas Water Development Board has complete statewide lidar data, enabling them to better map the state. Mapping land and understanding topography is not a new science. According to Richard Wade, Deputy Executive Administrator for Texas Natural Resources Information System, the lidar data is a far more complex data set that makes is possible for them to map in different ways.