The TWDB took up a full agenda including discussion the draft state flood assessment and approved financial assistance totaling $21,050,000 for water and wastewater system projects, including $415,000 was approved for a rural water project. The Board also approved $1,955,800,000 in financial assistance from the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) program.
* The SWIFT financing will be distributed to 12 project sponsors across the state.
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.
1. Discussion regarding outreach efforts and activities by the Board.     Â
- Jackson – participated in financial assistance project in Wichita Falls, spoke in Beaumont to refining and petrochemical industry related to future water needs, poke with members of lower Neches water authority board, attended Region F Group meeting in Big Spring, as well as others.
- Paup – travel to A&M, Waco, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Met with 4H Water Ambassadors
- Lake – visited Minneapolis regarding bond savings meeting, One Water Conference, River Bend, 4H Water Ambassadors
2. Briefing and discussion on the Draft–State Flood Assessment. (Mindy Conyers)
- Agenda #2 Document
- Significant progress has been made on flood assessment
- Each board member attended one of the workshops
- Conducted online survey
- 1,000 respondents (mostly those with flood related responsibilities)
- Three takeaways from public input
- Flood mapping is inadequate
- Funding is needed for specific flood control activities
- Regional collaboration and piecemealing plans, received support for watershed planning
3. Consider acknowledging by resolution 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)
- Agenda #3 Document
- Reviewed detailed list of gifts and amounts as noted on the website
- Executive Administrator recommends acknowledging the list of gits
- Motion to acknowledge the gifts was made, seconded and passed
4. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of McAllen (Hidalgo County) to amend the Additional Bonds Test related to the parity debt held by the Texas Water Development Board. (Mireya Loewe)
- Agenda #4 Document
- WDB holds 7 of 9 bonds the city has out
- City requested to approve bond ordinances to allow the spring amendment into effect now
- Executive administrator approves this request
- The cities finance director would be allowed to collect all already identified revenues
- Motion to approve the request was seconded and passed
5. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of McAllen (Hidalgo County) for $12,000,000 in financing from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for construction of water system improvements and for a waiver of the requirement that a portion of the assistance be used to mitigate the City’s water loss. (Mireya Loewe)
- Agenda #5 Document
- Requesting funding to increase capacity and develop new water line as well as upgrading administrative control of the water plants
- City has implemented a water metering plan to address apparent water loss
- Jackson – noted that the city is maintaining existing equipment and resources to best utilize the resources
- McAllen Water District General Manager, Marco Vega – thanked the Board for efforts in aiding the city in efforts to accommodate expanding community
- Motion to adopt the resolution was made, seconded and passed
6. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of McAllen (Hidalgo County) for $7,000,000 in financing from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for construction of wastewater system improvements. (Mireya Loewe)
- Agenda #6 Document
- Executive administrator approves the request
- Motion to adopt the proposed resolution for constructing wastewater improvements was made, seconded and approved
7. Consider approving by resolution from the City of Falfurrias (Brooks County) for $415,000 in financing from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for the planning, design, and construction of a wastewater system improvements project. (Mireya Loewe)
- Agenda #7 Document
- Will replace aging equipment, specifically an aging main
- City will request additional funding in the future for this project
- Motion to adopt the proposed resolution was made, seconded and passed
8. Consider approving by resolution a request from the Lone Star Regional Water Authority (Williamson and Bell Counties) for $1,635,000 in financial assistance from the Texas Water Development Fund for planning, acquisition, design, and construction of a water system improvements project. (Caaren Skrobarczyk)
- Agenda #8 Document
- Previously received $28 million in 2015 for a SWIFT regional water supply project in Williamson and Bell counties
- A request for additional funding due to cost overruns
- A motion to approve the resolution was made, seconded and passed
9. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Ballinger (Runnels County) to amend Texas Water Development Board Resolution No. 17-009, as amended by Resolution Nos. 17-061 and 18-007, by extending the commitment period to finance an alternative water supply project through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. (Lee Huntoon)
- Agenda #9 Document
- City’s alternative water supply project will be a large step forward
- Jackson – noted that the regional project will also benefit regional communities, not just Ballinger. Is three-month extension sufficient?
- Chair – noted that this will be the third extension to the project and need to consider all of the potential project sponsors. Would like to make this a 6-month extension with the understanding that this will be the last extension for the project
- Motion to approve the amended resolution to extend the commitment period to 6 months and with the provision that the board will not consider future extensions was made and passed
10. Overview of the 2018 State Water Implementation Fund for Texas financial assistance program (Tom Entsminger)
- Agenda #10 Document
- Program offers low interest and deferred obligations
- Applications were due May 4, 2018
- Total request was nearly $2 billion
- Borrower savings is close to $300 million
- Discussed next steps if resolution is approved
11. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Spring Valley Village (Harris County) for $2,500,000 in financing from the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas for construction of a new production well, and a request for a waiver from the requirement to include funds to mitigate water loss as a part of this project. (Lee Huntoon)
- Agenda #11 Document
- Described Spring Valley Village
- City identified needs for continuation of services
- City is above water loss threshold, and has requested a waiver in this request
- city has approved water metering replacement program for 2019
- Motion to adopt the proposed resolution was made, seconded and passed
12. Consider approving by resolution a request from the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority Inc. (Williamson and Travis County) for $15,740,000 in financing consisting of $8,770,000 in deferred and $6,970,000 in low interest financing from the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas for planning, and design of a regional water treatment and distribution project. (Caaren Skrobarczyk)
- Agenda #12 Document
- Request will help to meet projected needs
- First three phases of the project had funding assistance by the WDB
- Requesting various methods of financing by each municipality
- Motion to adopt the resolution was made, seconded and passed
13. Considering amending by resolution the previously adopted Texas Water Development Board Resolution No. 16-071 as amended by Resolution No. 17-073, to modify the City of Bryan’s (Brazos County) State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas annual loan closing schedule. (Caaren Skrobarczyk)
- Agenda #13 Document
- Request does not change total amount of funding for the city
- Extends closing until 2019
- Motion to adopt the resolution was made, seconded and passed
14. Consider amending by resolution a request from the North Texas Municipal Water District (Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Fannin, Hunt, Kaufman, Rains, and Rockwall counties) to amend Texas Water Development Board Resolution No. 17-078 as amended by Resolution No. 18-015 to authorize a $300,000,000 increase in financial assistance from the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas for construction of a water treatment plant and treated water pipeline. (Luis Farias)
- Agenda #14 Document
- District is constructing a new reservoir as well as other infrastructure
- To date, the project has requested over $1 billion for the project
- Request for increased funding is due to increased construction costs
- Motion to adopt the resolution was made, seconded and passed
15. Consider approving by resolution a request from the Upper Trinity Regional Water District (Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Grayson, and Wise counties) for $42,070,000 in multi-year financing from the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas for planning, acquisition, design, and construction of a treated water transmission pipeline. (Luis Farias)
- Agenda #15 Document
- District needs to increase capacity due to increased demand of service area
- Will help meet needs beginning in 2020
- Motion to adopt the resolution was made, seconded and passed
16. Consider approving by resolution, a request from the Town of Westlake (Tarrant and Denton counties) for $2,100,000 in financing from the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas for planning, design, and construction of a water transmission pipeline. (Luis Farias)
- Agenda #16 Document
- Will be used to build new water supply pipeline
- Joint project between Westlake and Fort Worth
- Motion to adopt the resolution was made, seconded and passed
Board considered items 17-21 together Â
17. Consider approving by resolution a request from Central Harris County Regional Water Authority (Harris County) to amend Texas Water Development Board Resolution No. 15-078, as amended by TWDB Resolution Nos. 16-081 and 17-081, to authorize $9,085,000 in financial assistance from the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas to finance the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer and an increase in the Northeast Water Purification Plant Expansion projects. (Nancy Richards)
18. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Houston (Harris County) to amend Texas Water Development Board Resolution No. 15-076, as amended by TWDB Resolutions No. 15-130, 16-080, and 17-084, to authorize a $153,155,000 increase in financial assistance from the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas for costs related to the Northeast Water Purification Plant Expansion and Second Source Transmission Line projects; and to modify the annual loan closing schedule. (Nancy Richards)
19. Consider approving by resolution a request from North Fort Bend Water Authority (Fort Bend County) for $72,975,000 in financing from the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas to finance the Internal Distribution Expansion; and to amend Texas Water Development Board Resolution No. 15-080, as amended by TWDB Resolution No. 16-106, to authorize a $266,505,000 increase in financial assistance from the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas for costs related to the Northeast Water Purification Plant Expansion and Second Source Transmission Line projects. (Nancy Richards)
20. Consider approving by resolution a request from North Harris County Regional Water Authority (Harris County) to amend Texas Water Development Board Resolution No. 15-077 as amended by TWDB Resolution Nos. 16-079 and 17-083 to authorize a $823,915,000 increase in financial assistance from the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas for costs related to the Northeast Water Purification Plant and Internal Distribution Expansion projects. (Nancy Richards)
21. Consider approving by resolution a request from West Harris County Regional Water Authority (Harris County) to amend Texas Water Development Board Resolution No. 15-079 as amended by TWDB Resolution Nos. 17-082 and 18-062 to authorize a $95,000,000 increase in financial assistance from the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas for costs related to the Northeast Water Purification Plant Expansion and Second Source Transmission line projects. (Nancy Richards)
- Agenda #21 Document
- Previously committed $2.9 billion for conversion to surface water
- Has 10 contracts underway
- Water will discharge into luce Bayou
- Water will be treated at north Harris county and the west Harris County treatment plant
- Above agenda items represent those involved
- Each request if for each participants portion of the project
- Plant will be fully online by 2024
- North Harris County Regional Water Authority is requesting additional funding for internal pipeline, request extends until 2030
- The plant will be the largest in the country
- Together the project will provide 2500 jobs to the community
- Motion to approve the resolutions was made seconded and passed
22. Consider approving by resolutions a request from Guadalupe Blanco River Authority (Guadalupe, Comal, Hays, Caldwell Counties) for $165,855,000 in financing consisting of $37,175,000 in multi-year low-interest financing, $12,030,000 in deferred financing, and $116,650,000 in multi-year Board Participation from the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas for planning, design, acquisition, and construction of a new water source, with treatment and distribution facilities. (Dain Larsen)
- Agenda #22 Document
- Authority requests deferred financing and low interest financing for the first 10 years to better align with future need projections
- Will reduced costs by constructing shared infrastructure with partnered entities
- Darrel Nichols, GBRA – thanked the WDB for assistance and efforts
- Motion to adopt the resolution was made, seconded and passed
23. Consider amending by resolution the previously adopted Texas Water Development Board Resolution No. 16-076, as amended by Resolution No. 17-087, to modify the City of Austin’s (Travis 24. County) State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas Annual Loan Closing Schedules. (Dain Larsen)
- Agenda #23 Document
- Executive Director recommends approval
- Motion to approve the resolution was made, seconded and passed
24. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of McAllen (Hidalgo County) for $6,900,000 in financing from the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas for acquisition of water rights, and for a waiver of the requirement that a portion of the assistance be used to mitigate the City’s water loss. (Mireya Loewe)
- Agenda #24 Document
- To purchase 3,000 acre-feet of water rights in previous contract
- Requests a waiver for a portion to be used to mitigate water loss
- Motion to adopt the resolution was made, seconded and passed
25. Consider approving by resolution: (a) the issuance, sale and delivery of Texas Water Development Board State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas Revenue Bonds in one or more series; (b) the execution of the Bond Indentures; (c) the execution of State Water Implementation Fund for Texas Funds Transfer Agreement; (d) the Preliminary Official Statement; and (e) authorization for the Executive Administrator, General Counsel, Chief Financial Officer, Development Fund Manager, or any other authorized representative to act on behalf of the Texas Water Development Board in the sale and delivery of such bonds. (Georgia Sanchez)
- Agenda #25 Document
- Executive director recommends approval of the documents
- Bond sale of nearly $2 billion
- Hilltop is financial advisor
- Underwriting by Citi Group
- If approved, timeline expects closing on October 11th
- Motion to approve the resolution was made, seconded and passed
26. The Board received no public comment.
27. The Board did not meet in executive session.