The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) met on September 5, 2019, to take up a full agenda. During their meeting they approved financial assistance totaling $3,265,000 for water and wastewater system projects. Of this funding, $2,465,000 was approved for rural projects
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.
Each member presented their recent outreach activities.
Consider appointing members to the Water Conservation Advisory Council.
Josh Sendejar, Executive Administrator’s Staff
- Eight council terms expired on August 31, 2019.
- The deadline for nominations was July 8, 2019.
- 13 individuals received nominations,
- Leah Martinsson – Groundwater Conservation Districts
- Wayne Halbert – Irrigation Districts
- Bill Hoffman – Institutional Water Users
- Sarah Roundtree Schlessinger – Professional Organizations Focused on Water Conservation
- Milton Charles Ring – Agricultural Groups
- CJ Tredway – Mining and Recovery of Materials
- Dustan Compton – Water Control and Improvement Districts
- John Foster – Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board
Motion to approve the proposed resolution prevails unanimously.
Consider approving by resolution a request from the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District (Dallam, Hansford, Hartley, Lipscomb, Moore, Ochiltree and Sherman Counties) for a $1,000,000 loan from the Agricultural Water Conservation Loan Program to provide financing for an agricultural water conservation equipment loan program.
Lee Huntoon, Executive Administrator’s Staff
- The District will utilize funds to provide loans to area farmers to purchase irrigation systems and related equipment.
- 12 irrigation systems are anticipated to be purchased by farmers.
- The district anticipates new equipment installations will result in 8,770 acre-feet of water savings over the life of the loan.
- Jackson: These districts carry insurance for the investment?
Steve Walther, North Plains Water Conservation District
- Thank you for considering the loan.
Motion to adopt the proposed resolution prevails unanimously.
Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Wolfforth (Lubbock County) for $300,000 in principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for planning, design, and construction of water system improvements.
Lee Huntoon, Executive Administrator’s Staff
- Population in the City of Wolfforth is projected to increase by 49% percent by 2040.
- To meet expected demand, the City must increase its raw water supply.
- The City intends to purchase a water system from AIM Water after receiving approval from the Public Utilities Commission.
- The project will construct a raw water pipeline and a treated water pipeline.
- Combining the two systems will increase the City’s production capability and provide safe drinking water to Wolfforth Place.
Motion to adopt the proposed resolution prevails unanimously.
Considering amending by resolution the previously adopted Texas Water Development Board Resolution No. 12-112 to modify the Orange County Water Control and Improvement District No. 2’s (Orange County) Clean Water State Revolving Fund project scope.
Nancy Richards, Executive Administrator’s Staff
- TCEQ determined the project’s proposed discharge point to be too close to other discharge points from other cities and port facilities.
- The project has been on hold since 2015 because moving the discharge point further downstream the Sabine River significantly increases construction costs.
- The District has requested that the remaining funds be shifted from the planning and design funding to construction for the rehabilitation of the clarifiers at the wastewater treatment plant.
Motion to adopt the proposed resolution prevails unanimously.
Consider approving by resolution a request from the Town of Woodloch (Montgomery County) for $800,000 in principal forgiveness from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for planning, design, and construction of a Hurricane Harvey disaster recovery project.
Nancy Richards, Executive Administrator’s Staff
- The Town of Woodloch experienced infrastructure damage due to flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey.
- The Town will use funding to replace a damaged wastewater treatment plant.
Motion to adopt the proposed resolution prevails unanimously.
Consider approving by resolution a request from Ellinger Sewer and Water Supply Corporation (Fayette County) for $300,000 in principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for planning, design, and construction of water system improvements.
Dain Larsen, Executive Administrator’s Staff
- The Corporation will use the funding to replace an ageing standpipe.
- The new ground tank will add an estimated 50,000 gallons of storage.
Motion to adopt the proposed resolution prevails unanimously.
Consider approving by resolution a request from Cameron County Irrigation District No. 6 (Cameron County) for $865,000 in financing from the Texas Water Development Fund for the planning, design, and construction of improvements to its raw water delivery system.
Mireya Loewe, Executive Administrator’s Staff
- In 2017, an excessive leak at the District’s concrete, open-channel flume was noted.
- The leakage has eroded the foundation of a ditch’s embankment that the flume crosses.
- The District proposes to bypass the flume crossing by spanning the drainage ditch with two PVC pipelines encased in steel and supported on concrete pier foundations.
- The proposed improvement will have a design life of more than fifty years.
Tito Nieto, Cameron County Irrigation District No. 6
- Thank you for working with us on our projects.
Motion to adopt the proposed resolution prevails unanimously.
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 comments received.
The Board may adjourn into Executive Session and conduct a closed meeting to consider any item on this agenda if a matter is raised that is appropriate for the Board to conduct a private consultation with its attorney on a matter in which the duty of the attorney to the governmental body under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas clearly conflicts with Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code. The Board may also conduct a closed meeting to receive legal advice and discuss pending or contemplated litigation, settlement offers, or the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline or dismissal of specific Board employees, including the Executive Administrator and General Counsel, as permitted by Sections 551.071 and 551.074, the Texas Open Meetings Act, codified as Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code. The Board may also meet in open meeting to take action on legal or personnel matters considered in the closed meeting as required by Section 551.102 of the Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551 of the Government Code.
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The Board took no action in executive session.
Meeting adjourned.