TWDB met on February 27th to take up a full agenda and approved by resolution financial assistance in the amount of a $458,920,000 loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to the North Texas Municipal Water District (Collin, Dallas, Denton, Fannin, Kaufman, and Rockwall counties).
This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics the committee took up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the hearing, but 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.
Item 1 – Discussion regarding outreach efforts and activities by the Board.
- Each board member discussed their recent outreach activities
Item 2 – Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Rockdale (Milam County) for $11,225,000 in financial assistance consisting of $10,825,000 in financing and $400,000 in principal forgiveness from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for planning, acquisition, design, and construction of wastewater treatment plant improvements. (Lina Linehan) Board Agenda #02 Document
- Items 2 & 3 addressed together
Item 3 – Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Rockdale (Milam County) for $16,215,000 in financial assistance consisting of $15,715,000 in financing and $500,000 in principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for planning, acquisition, design, and construction of water system improvements. (Lina Linehan) Board Agenda #03 Document
Lina Linehan, Financial Analyst for TWDB
- Proposed project to consist of planning, acquisition, and design of wastewater treatment plant improvements and water line replacements
- Wastewater treatment plant – address the aged and below-standard treatment plant; funding to go towards upgrade of plant to expand capacity and address effluent violations
- Drinking water project – address Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) violations for corrosivity, low pH, and leached iron; funding to go towards the replacement of failing cast iron water lines
- Will reduce water loss and improve water color
- Chris Whittaker, City Manager of Rockdale – Red water has been an aspect of Rockdale for as long as can be remembered
- Motion passes for the City of Rockdale to receive funds from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund
Item 4 – Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Carbon (Eastland County) for $754,600 in principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for planning, design, and construction of a water system improvements project. (Lina Linehan) Board Agenda #04 Document
Lina Linehan, Financial Analyst of Team 2 for TWDB
- Planning, design, and construction of water pumping station improvements and installation of radio read meters
- Pumping and storage of water does not currently meet TCEQ requirements
- Motion passes for the City of Carbon to receive funds from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
Item 5 – Consider approving by resolution a request from the North Texas Municipal Water District (Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Fannin, Hunt, Kaufman, Rains, and Rockwall counties) for $458,920,000 in financing from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for design, acquisition, and construction of a new wastewater treatment plant. (Joe Koen) Board Agenda #05 Document
Joe Koen, Interim Manager of Team 3 for TWDB
- Rapid population growth (projected to be over 1.2 million by 2040) requires upgrades to wastewater treatment plants
- Funding needed to construct a new treatment plant to meet the current and projected demand for water
- J. Muraski, Assistant Deputy at North Texas Municipal Water District – TCEQ has only made one comment regarding the massive treatment plant
- Motion passes to approve the request by North Texas Municipal Water District
Item 6 – Consider approving by resolution, a request from the City of Fort Worth (Tarrant County, Denton County, Parker County, Wise County) to amend Texas Water Development Board Resolution No. 20-003, to reflect a change to Condition No. 37 relating to the required reserve fund. (Joe Koen) Board Agenda #06 Document
Joe Koen, Interim Manager of Team 3 for TWDB
- Fort Worth’s master ordinance sets the requirement for the reserve fund at a different amount to that of Resolution No. 20-003, Condition No. 37
- Request is to allow Fort Worth’s master ordinance requirement to overrule Resolution No. 20-003
- Motion to amend Texas Water Development Board Resolution No. 20-003
Item 7 – Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Ivanhoe (Tyler County) for $215,000 in principal forgiveness from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for planning, design, and construction of a Hurricane Harvey disaster recovery project. (Nancy Richards) Board Agenda #07 Document
Nancy Richards, Manager of Team 4 for TWDB
- Ivanhoe damn was partially compromised during Hurricane Harvey and was then intentionally breeched
- Since the breech, Ivanhoe has faced flooding that has damaged its transportation infrastructure e.g. erosion of roadways
- Motion passed to adopt the proposed resolution to fund infrastructure to combat Hurricane Harvey damages
Item 8 – Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Alton (Hidalgo County) for $8,500,000 in financial assistance from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for planning, acquisition, design, and construction of a drainage improvements project. (Mireya Loewe) Board Agenda #08 Document
Mireya Loewe, Manager of Team 6 for TWDB
- Torrential rains during storms have resulted in the labeling of nice zones of the city as flood prone
- Funding for the planning, acquisition, design, and construction of drainage systems to protect two of the nine zones
- Motion passes to approve the request from the City of Alton
Item 9 – Consider approving by resolution an amendment to TWDB Resolution No. 19-110 approving a commitment to the City of Cotulla, Texas from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. (Alexis Lorick) Board Agenda #09 Document
Alexis Lorick, Office of General Counsel for TWDB
- Amendment to TWDB Resolution No. 19-110 to correct the discrepancy in funding as allocated by the TWDB Pledge of Security
- Motion passed to authorize the amendment
Item 10 – 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.
- No public comments made