The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) met to consider adopting population and water demand projections for all Regional Water Planning Groups for use in the 2021 Regional Water Plans and 2022 State Water Plan as well as consideration of adopting amendments to 31 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 363 related to the use of United States iron and steel in certain TWDB programs.
This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics the committee took up. This report is not a verbatim transcript of the hearing; it is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.
Discussion regarding outreach efforts and activities by the Board.
- Jackson – spoke at Texas A&M Bush School at water policy conference and ASCE workshop visited Region C and Region M, met with City of Mercedes
- Paup – toured McAllen and met with Senator Hinojosa, spoke at Region K, commented at ASR Conference
- Lake – focused on SRF bond sale in New York City, successful transaction
Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Mason (Mason County) for $2,659,200 in financial assistance consisting of $990,000 in financing and $1,669,200 in principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for planning, design, and construction of a radionuclide treatment project.
Lee Huntoon, TWBD Staff
- Documentation
- Described mason county and the City of Mason
- City water is above maximum contamination of groundwater by TCEQ
- Recommends approval
- Jackson – met with mayor in February and discussed operating practices
- Jackson – Moved to adopt resolution as written; motion was seconded and passed
Keith Kindle, Enprotec/Hibbs & Todd, Inc.
- Thanked TWDB on behalf of City of Mason
Consider approving by resolution a request from Brookshire Municipal Water District (Waller County) for $490,000 in principal forgiveness from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for design and construction of a Hurricane Harvey disaster recovery wastewater project.
Nancy Richards, TWBD Staff
- Documentation
- Described the Brookshire Municipal Water District and Waller County
- Harvey flooding caused collection failures
- Recommends approval of the request
- Jackson – did they receive any FEMA funds?
- This would be the only funding for this project
- Paup – moved to adopt the request as written; motion was seconded and passed
Stephanie Green and Tanya Pierre, Brookshire Municipal Water District
- Thanked the board for consideration
Consider approving by resolution a request from G-M Water Supply Corporation (Sabine and San Augustine Counties) for $5,490,900 in financial assistance consisting of $2,775,000 in financing and $2,715,900 in principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for planning, design, and construction of water system improvements.
Nancy Richards, TWBD Staff
- Documentation
- Described G-M Water Supply Corporation
- Recommends approval of request
- Jackson – how much water is purchased from the City of Hemphill?
- Roughly 25%
- Jackson – this project is stated in the regional water plan, there is a mortgage lean on the system, is this typical?
- It is
- Jackson – moved to adopt the resolution as written; motion was seconded and passed
Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Houston (Harris County) for $64,685,000 in financing from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for construction of wastewater system improvements.
Nancy Richards, TWBD Staff
- Documentation
- Described Houston and Harris County
- Provides water and wastewater to 2.2 million people
- Recommends approval of request
- Jackson – agreed order expired in 2016, city of Houston is continuing with that same schedule, how large is the system?
- Over 6100 miles of piping in system
- Jackson – still have a lot left to do
- Paup – moved to adopt resolution as written; motion was seconded and passed
Consider approving by resolution a request from the Greater Texoma Utility Authority on behalf of the City of Paradise (Wise County) for $1,240,000 in financing from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for planning, acquisition, design and construction of water system improvements.
Executive Director recommended that this item be passed to a future meeting.
Consider approving by resolution a request from the Whitewater Springs Water Supply Corporation (Burnet County) for $500,000 in financial assistance consisting of $200,000 in financing and $300,000 in principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for planning, acquisition, design and construction of a water system improvement project.
Jesse Milonovich, TWDB Staff Â
- Documentation
- Described Whitewater Springs Water Supply Corporation
- Recommends approval of request
- Jackson – there was a favorable review of the FMT by TCEQ?
- That is correct and received faster than is typical
- Paup – moved to adopt the request as written; motion was seconded and passed.
Consideration and acknowledgment of gifts and donations of $500 or more in value given to the Texas Water Development Board in accordance with Chapter 575 of the Texas Government Code.
Kendal Kowal, TWBD Staff
- Documentation
- Described included list of gifts and donations
- Recommends approval
- Jackson – moved to adopt the recommendation as written; motion was seconded and passed
Consider adopting amendments to 31 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 363 related to the use of United States iron and steel in certain Texas Water Development Board programs.
Kendal Kowal, TWBD Staff
- Documentation
- Implements SB 1289
- Received public comments from 12 entities; changed between proposal and the rules are for clarification
- Recommends approval of the amendments
- Paup – moved to adopt amendments as written; motion was seconded and passed.
Briefing and discussion on the United States iron and steel guidance document.
Jessica Zuba, TWBD Staff
- Documentation
- Draft guidance document has been produced and was posted for comment online and in public hearing
- Staff considered each comment and made changes for clarification
- Removed engineering feasibility requirement on exempted items
- Discussed proposed best management practices
- Intent to follow American iron and steel guidance to maintain alignment
- All iron and steel guidance information will be made available on website
- Jackson – secured much stakeholder input throughout the process, reiterated that the guidance document and all other information will be made available online
Perry Fowler, Texas Water Infrastructure Network
- Addressed board to discuss guidance creation process and stakeholder input
- Critical to continually review and revise the document
Consider adopting population projections for all Regional Water Planning Groups for use in the 2021 Regional Water Plans and 2022 State Water Plan.
Yun Cho, TWBD Staff Â
- Documentation
- Described process of creating projections
- Methodology changed include: utility-based planning, volumetric threshold for water user group (WUG) criteria of 100 acft/year to include more rural water systems
- Jackson – discussed utility-based planning
- Lake – new methodology is very impressive and will provide much needed clarity
- Jackson – moved to adopt the population projections as written; motion was seconded and passed
Consider adopting water demand projections for all Regional Water Planning Groups for use in the 2021 Regional Water Plans and 2022 State Water Plan.
Yun Cho, TWBD Staff
- Documentation
- Represents projected demands under draught conditions
- Projections include Municipal, irrigation livestock, manufacturing, mining, and steam electric power usage
- Discussed demand projections in comparison to 2017 SWP
- 2020 projection is 4% less than the 2017 SWP
- Recommends approval
- Jackson – overall water demand projections are going down while the ability to manufacture goods is going up indicating greater efficiency, why do we see a decrease?
- Reflects portion of previous water plan conservation, reflects increase in water efficiency and acknowledges declining groundwater availability
- Jackson – for agriculture, why do we use an average usage as opposed to a peak usage like other industries?
- Because there are many more factors in usage than in industries like manufacturing which is more consistent
- Paup – manufacturing water demands assume significant growth correct?
- Correct
Ken Kramer, Sierra Club
- Discussed significance of a lower projection for water usage
- Need to monitor industry usage and adjust projections accordingly
- Paup – moved to adopt the projections as recommended; motion was seconded and passed
Briefing and discussion on water conditions in the state of Texas.
Mark Wentzel, TWBD Staff Â
- Discussed drought monitor as of April 10th
- Changes include many areas coming out of drought in central Texas
- Less than 50% of state is considered in drought
- Increase in intensity of drought in multiple areas
- Reviewed reservoir conservation storage data
- At 85% capacity
- Discussed major municipal reservoir system storage
- Rio Grande Valley showed large drops in storage due to irrigation season commencing
- Viewed summer rainfall forecast as shown in TWDB website
- Most of the state shows lightly below normal
- South Texas shows indications of slightly above normal
Closing Remarks
- The next currently scheduled meeting of the Texas Water Development Board will be May 3, 2018.