The water development board met to discuss a regular agenda, including changes to the TWDB investment plan, rules changes and revisions, and funding approvals.This report focuses on items 2 – 5 and 16 – 20.
2. Consider appointment of members to the Water Conservation Advisory Council to fill two vacancies: groundwater conservation districts and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. (Mindy Conyers)
- TCEQ and GCD representatives resigned mid-term, staff recommends Charles Moehlenbrock fill TCEQ position and Sarah Rountree Schlessinger fill GCD position
- Motion to appoint recommendations passes
3. Consider approving the 2015 Texas Rain Catcher Awards. (Mindy Conyers)
- Nominations include private citizens, municipalities, educational entities, and commercial entities active in conservation
- David Lewis, Aquabank, appreciates Development Board’s focus on rainwater harvesting and asks for assistance for rainwater harvesters
- Board Members Peter Lake and Kathleen Jackson highlight importance of rainwater harvesting
- Awards include honorable mentions for the first time, selection was very competitive
- Motion to approve nominees and recognize honorable mentions passes
4. Consider approving the Texas Water Development Board’s Investment Policy and Strategies. (Cindy Demers)
- Board approved existing policy in January with an understanding that changes would be forthcoming for approval
- Changes include identification of SWIFT separate investment policy, redefining investment officers, separating portfolio investment strategies, clarifying maximum maturities, identifying funds with separate investment strategies, adding comptroller’s broker list for inclusion going forward
- Current pending quarterly investment report will be drafted according to old format, subsequent reports will be in new format
- Motion to approve changes passes
5. Consider (a) a revision of the not-to-exceed aggregate principal amount of the State of Texas Water Financial Assistance Refunding Bonds and State of Texas Water Financial Assistance Bonds in one or more series to $215,000,000 due to changes in the plan of finance, and (b) approval of the selection of underwriters for the negotiation of the bond issue. (Cindy Demers)
- Increase from issuance identified in February 2, 2016
- Significant borrower wanted to delay borrowing in last issuance, this amount is now included in the $215,000,000
- Motion to approve changes passes
6. Consider approving by resolution a request from the Greater Texoma Utility Authority on behalf of the City of Sadler (Grayson County) for financial assistance of $234,219 consisting of a $165,000 loan and $69,219 in loan forgiveness from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to finance the planning, design and construction phases of wastewater treatment plant improvements. (Luis Farias)
- Motion passes
7. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Granbury (Hood County) for financial assistance for a $2,720,000 loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to finance the construction of water system improvements. (Caaren Skrobarczyk)
- Improvement of water meter system
- Motion passes
8. Consider approving by resolution a request from the New Ulm Water Supply Corporation (Austin & Colorado Counties) for $200,000 in loan forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to finance the replacement of asbestos water lines and improvements at the existing water plant. (Nancy Richards)
- Motion passes
9. Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Fayetteville (Fayette County) for $200,000 in loan forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to finance design and construction of a water system improvement project to replace an aging ground storage tank. (Clay Schultz)
- Motion passes
10. Consider approving by resolution a request from the La Salle Landing Water Supply Corporation (Jackson County) for $200,000 in loan forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to finance the construction of a water treatment improvement project to address high levels of arsenic. (Clay Schultz)
- Forgiveness requested to address infrastructure issues relating to water toxicity
- Motion passes
11. Consider approving by resolution a request from Dario V. Guerra, III, doing business as Derby, Ing. (Frio County) for $140,000 in loan forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to finance construction costs associated with upgrades to the existing water system. (Clay Schultz)
- Forgiveness requested to address infrastructure issues
- Motion passes
12. Consider approving by resolution a request from the Beechwood Water Supply Corporation (Corporation) for partial release of lien and consent to convey a tract of land and office building. (Kendal Payne)
- Motion passes
Items 13 through 15 considered together.
13. Consider affirming by resolution the commitment to provide financial assistance from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to the Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 50 (Harris County) made in TWDB Resolution No. 15-145, and concurring in the Executive Administrator’s environmental finding. (Jean Devlin)
14. Consider affirming by resolution the commitment to provide financial assistance from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to the City of Dell City (Hudspeth County), made in TWDB Resolution No. 14-01, and concurring in the Executive Administrator’s environmental finding. (Chris Caran)
15. Consider affirming by resolution the commitment to provide financial assistance from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to the City of Early (Brown County), made in TWDB Resolution No. 14-75, and concurring in the Executive Administrator’s environmental finding. (Chris Caran)
- Motions pass
16. Consider authorizing publication of proposed amendments to 31 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 371 relating to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and the proposed repeal of various provisions within 31 TAC Chapter 371 relating to the DWSRF. (Mark Wyatt)
- Comprehensive overhaul of DWSRF designed to increase response to customers and program flexibility
- Interest savings and administrative fee flexibility built into revisions
- Multi-year commitment addition also a focus of the revisions and repeals
- Motion to authorize publication passes
17. Consider authorizing publication of proposed amendments to 31 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 375 relating to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and the proposed repeal of various provisions within 31 TAC Chapter 375 relating to the CWSRF. (Mark Wyatt)
- Federal changes have significantly impacted requirements and abilities of CWSRF
- Proposed changes offer new funding opportunities to customers and substantially mirrors changes to the DWSRF fund
- Also includes a multi-year commitment option
- Kathleen Jackson comments that treatment requirement for captured and released storm water is no longer included, should open up more options for communities
- Publication is for a 30 day comment period ending May 2nd
- Motion to authorize publication passes
18. Consider authorizing the Executive Administrator to publish a notice in the Texas Register for requests for qualifications for three groundwater availability model projects in an amount not to exceed $1,440,000. (Cindy Ridgeway)
- Groundwater availability computer models help many systems formulate water plans
- Projects include 1) identifying vulnerability to subsidence of major and minor aquifers at $285,000, 2) analysis of expanding groundwater planning for hill country areas at $355,000, and 3) identifying expansion of certain north Texas aquifers at $800,000
- Member Jackson comments some districts have expressed interest in collaborating on project 2
- Motion passes
19. Consider approving the adopted major amendment to the 2011 Region M Regional Water Plan; and authorizing the Executive Administrator to develop the corresponding amendment to the 2012 State Water Plan, with associated public hearing, as appropriate per 31 TAC §357.51(g). (Connie Townsend)
- Adopted by Region M planning group at April 2014 meeting
- Strategy expects to provide 600,000 acre/ft of water per year, will consist of expansion of existing off-channel reservoir, construction of new off-channel reservoir, and construction of two new reverse osmosis facilities
- Publication authorization also included within this motion
- Motion passes
20. Briefing and discussion on drought conditions in the state of Texas. (Mark Wentzel)
- Small pocket of moderate drought exists in the panhandle, some areas in panhandle and west Texas could be heading into drought conditions
- Texas continues to do “quite a bit better” than similar time periods from 2015
- Reservoir conservation has improved from last month, running around 3% better than typical conditions for current time period
- Reservoir storage, 15 systems gained water, only 2 lost water capacity over the last month, east Texas reservoir gains are small due to these systems being close to capacity
- Some reservoir areas are still below normal and have not fully recovered from drought conditions
- Looking forward, high levels of rainfall are expected to continue