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The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) met on February 25 and heard invited testimony on several issues as well as approved financial assistance totaling $15,810,837 million for water projects. All resolutions were approved except for Item 12. Details are below on agenda items taken up by the TWDB.

 

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.

 

  1. Discussion regarding outreach efforts by the Board
    1. Each Board member spoke about recent outreach activities and travel.

 

  1. Consider authorizing the Executive Administrator to execute a contract amendment to extend the term of the contract with Hilltop Securities Inc. by one year and increase the limit on total payments for services and expenses by $900,000. (Josh Traner) Board Agenda #02 Document
    1. The current contract will expire on February 28th.
    2. The executive administratore recommends increasing the maximum value of the contract to $2,875,000 million.
    3. Jackson moves to adopt proposed resolution, motion passes.

 

  1. Consider approving by resolution the establishment of a new tax-exempt lending rate scale for the Texas Water Development Fund II Economically Distressed Areas Program Account. (Josh Traner) Board Agenda #03 Document
    1. Recommends approval of new lending rate scales for EDAP.
    2. Paup moves to adapt proposed resolution, motion passes.

 

  1. Consider approving by resolution the establishment of a new taxable lending rate scale for the Texas Water Development Fund II Economically Distressed Areas Program Account. (Josh Traner) Board Agenda #04 Document
    1. Paup moves to adapt proposed resolution, motion passes.

 

  1. Consider approving the revised Uniform Standards for use by the regional water planning groups in prioritizing projects in their regional water plans, as updated by the Uniform Standards Stakeholder Committee. (Temple McKinnon) Board Agenda #05 Document
    1. Established 5 criteria
      1. Decade of need
      2. Project feasibility
  • Project viability
  1. Project sustainability
  2. Project cost effectiveness
  1. Revisions approved by the committee were limited to feasibility and decade of need; however, no changes were made.
  2. Jackson-It is important to utilize the people who are working with the water planning.
  3. Paup- This is a great example of collaboration.
  4. Jackson moves to adapt proposed resolution, motion passes.

 

  1. Consider authorizing publication of adopted amendments to 31 Texas Administrative Code Chapters 371 and 375 related to financial assistance from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and Clean Water State Revolving Fund. (Ashley Nwonuma) Board Agenda #06 Document
    1. Requests approval to change:
      1. The times we are able set interest rates for loans should match the procedure used for bonds.
      2. Removing the requirement that bonds be redeemed at inverse age of maturity.
  • Ensure rules include federal requirements that borrowers establish a state of income.
  1. Amend the state revolving fund to match other financial assistance plans.
  2. Clarifying that principle forgiveness will be given.
  3. Correcting a heading to clarify a subsection.
  1. The proposed rules were published in January 2019.
  2. Jackson- The highlight of what you said were giving more options to our borrowers. We want to streamline the process.
  3. Paup- Consistency in customer service is important.
  4. Paup moves to adapt proposed resolution, motion passes.

 

  1. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Colorado City (Mitchell County) for $2,650,000 in financing from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for the planning, design, and construction of wastewater treatment plant improvements. (Lee Huntoon) Board Agenda #07 Document
    1. The headworks equipment needs to be replaced with new sludge processing equipment.
    2. Requesting $2.65 million.
    3. Jackson moves to adapt proposed resolution, motion passes.

 

  1. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Paint Rock (Concho County) for $300,000 in principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for the planning, design, and construction of water system improvements. (Lee Huntoon) Board Agenda #08 Document
    1. The water distribution system has aging concrete and pipes.
    2. The valves and fire system are in need of replacement.
    3. The executive administrator requests 1200 feet of water lines with new pvc, install flush valves and replace fire system.
    4. Paup moves to adapt proposed resolution, motion passes.

 

  1. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Kosse (Limestone County) for $450,000 in financing from the Texas Water Development Fund for construction of a water system improvements project. (Caaren Skrobarczyk) Board Agenda #09 Document
    1. The city provides water to 500 residents and receives water from Tri County.
    2. The State Water Plan projects water supply shortages in starting in 2020.
    3. The funding came from the EDAP program and is being used to create 2 new water wells, a treatment facility, water storage, and water transmissions lines.
    4. More bids came in than expected, so more funding is needed.
    5. Jackson moves to adapt proposed resolution, motion passes.

 

  1. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Nome (Jefferson County) for $485,500 in principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for planning, design, and construction of a Hurricane Harvey disaster recovery project and a request for a waiver from the requirement to include funds to mitigate water loss as part of the project. (Nancy Richards) Board Agenda #10 Document
    1. The city water storage plant was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey and the district is requesting $485,500 to repair the plant.
    2. The district also requests a waiver to address water loss in Nome.
    3. Paup moves to adapt proposed resolution, motion passes.

 

  1. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Anahuac (Chambers County) for $325,000 in principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for planning, design, and construction of a Hurricane Harvey recovery project. (Nancy Richards) Board Agenda #11 Document
    1. Anahuac provides water to 2,240 residents.
    2. The rainfall from Hurricane Harvey caused damage, the district is requesting $325,000 to replace a generator that was destroyed.
    3. With the funds, the city will purchase a new generator, replace automatic transfer switch, and elevate components that were destroyed in Harvey.
    4. Jackson moves to adapt proposed resolution, motion passes.

 

  1. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Wimberley to amend Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Resolution No. 16-032 to change the constructed project components. (Dain Larsen)
    1. Chairman Lake proposes item 12 be moved to the end of the meeting.

 

  1. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Arlington (Tarrant County) for $5,151,695 in financial assistance consisting of $4,435,000 in financing and $716,695 in principal forgiveness from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for construction of wastewater collection line improvements. (Luis Farias) Board Agenda #13 Document
    1. Arlington serves 103,000 people in waste water connections.
    2. The district requests $5.1 million to replace 6400 existing waste water pipelines that are deteriorating.
    3. The district also requests $716,000 in green principle forgiveness as a green efficiency project.
    4. Jackson moves to adapt proposed resolution, motion passes.

 

  1. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Garland (Dallas County) for $7,645,037 in financial assistance consisting of $6,670,000 in financing and $975,037 in principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for the replacement of water meters. (Luis Farias) Board Agenda #14 Document
    1. The City of Garland requests $7.6 million to replace 42,000 existing meters and transmission endpoints, because it does not work properly.
    2. The city also requests the $975,000 for principle forgiveness.
    3. Paup-This a great project that will help with asset management.
    4. Paup moves to adopt proposed resolution, passes

 

  1. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Grand Prairie (Dallas, Ellis, and Tarrant Counties) for $3,730,800 in financial assistance consisting of $3,180,000 in financing and $550,800 in principal forgiveness from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for construction of wastewater collection system improvements. (Luis Farias) Board Agenda #15 Document
    1. The city identified several segments within waste water collection system and had high inflows/outflow
    2. The district is requesting $3,730,800 million to replace 8 water mains that need to be replaced and 10,000 linear feet of existing water mains.
    3. The city also qualifies for $550,800 for efficiency.
    4. Jackson moves to adopt proposed resolution, passes.

 

12.Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Wimberley to amend Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Resolution No. 16-032 to change the constructed project components. (Jeff Walker)

  1. The current project includes construction of waste water treatment system which is currently failing.
  2. The total cost of the project is $2 .5 million less than the original project, but a project change was proposed; Will result in a loss of $2 million of grant funding.
  3. The grant will not allow the city to provide reused water.
  4. We have not seen adequate responses to the review, I am requesting no action at this time to allow the city to provide the responses.
  5. Lake moves to not accept the request.

 

Public Testimony

 

Susan Jaggers, Mayor of Wimberly

  • We underestimated the operating cost of running the plant.
  • The plant would be operating in a plant and discharging into the creek.
  • There are both environmental and financial risks, so we ask you to support the change of not to have a plant in our park.

 

Gary Barchfeld, Wimberley City Council

  • We are eager to get this concluded very quickly.
  • The plant is affordable, environmentally friendly, and diminishes the probability of noncompletion.
  • We would like to keep discussing this matter further.

 

Craig Fore, Wimberley City Council

  • The engineer gave us three options either to: secure more funding, delete the treatment plant portion of the project, or abandon the project.
  • The city decided to delete the treatment plant portion.

 

Lyla McCall, Resident of Wimberley

  • This project is too expensive.
  • Let this project go to Aqua Texas.

 

Phillip Van Ostrand, Resident of Wimberley

  • The proposal is environmentally conscious, and it is economical.
  • This project needs to be completed to avoid filing bankruptcy.

 

John Urban, Resident of Wimberley

  • The amendment to use Aqua Texas is adequate.
  • It is too difficult to make it into economies of scale.
  • If the project isn’t going in the direction the council wants, then get a new city council elected.
  • Ask that you consider what the citizens of Wimberley want.

 

Lewis B. Parks, Citizens Alliance for Responsible Development

  • We oppose the change of scope because Aqua Texas takes control of the system.

 

Susan Niny, Friends of Blue Hole

  • The amended scope will harm Blue Hole Regional Park and Cypress Creek.
  • There have been no studies done to investigate the risks of drilling.
  • The change of scope discards type 1 recycled water and dooms its restoration.

 

Andrew Webber, Friends of Blue Hole

  • My request is that you deny the change of scope and postponing adopting the resolution.
  • Please do not require them to bring an executed contract.
  • On the favorable environmental report, please clarify what this means.

 

William Bowman

  • I have worked in projects that cost over $100,000,000 million.
  • There are consequences of cost, environment, and design.
  • I request that the board does not approve the scope change.

 

Al Sanders, Resident of Wimberley

  • I have concerns on environmental dangers, financial aspects, and timing.

 

Mack McCauley, Resident of Wimberley

  • I think there needs to be support and backup of the requirements.
  • In 70 days, voters will elect people over these issues.
  • I request you delay until after this May’s election.

 

Christine Middleton, Citizens Alliance for Responsible Development

  • I oppose the change in scope.

 

Steve Thurber, Resident of Wimberley and Former Mayor

  • I oppose the change in scope.

 

 Susan Zimmerman, Resident of Wimberley

  • I oppose the change in scope.

 

Herb Smith, Resident of Wimberley

  • I oppose the change in scope.

 

Susan Jaggers, Mayr of Wimberley

  • I want to testify again, because I have been addressed in the comments.
  • After looking into the change of scope, we found discrepancies between costs and environmental effects.
  • Delaying the project will make the project more of a burden on the city.

 

  1. The Board will receive comments from the public on any matters within the jurisdiction of the TWDB, with the exception of matters which are subject to the ex parte prohibition found in Texas Government Code Section 2001.061.
    1. Lyla McCall, Resident of Wimberley
      1. I am concerned about the environmental effect of the project to create a four lane highway.

 

TWBD did not meet in an Executive Session and adjourned