Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority
Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority
In 2006, the cities of Round Rock, Leander, and Cedar Park began negotiations with Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) to plan, construct, own, operate, and manage a new regional water system for the cities’ long-term needs. The explosive growth in all three of these communities requires expanding infrastructure needs, including water. Planning projections indicated that without a new water supply system, these cities could have faced shortages in three to seven years. LCRA, with the assistance of Round Rock and Cedar Park, selected engineering consultants for the preliminary design of the regional water system.
In 2007, Round Rock, Cedar Park, and Leander decided to move forward on an independent partnership and formed the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority (BCRUA). Their first board meeting was in August of 2007.
Current Water Supply
Cedar Park and Leander currently obtain their water from Lake Travis pursuant to contracts with the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). Cedar Park owns and operates a 26-million-gallons-per-day water treatment plant on Lake Travis.
The LCRA provides treated water to Leander. The City of Leander’s plant is being expanded from 6 million gallons per day to 12 million gallons per day. Round Rock’s plant provides 48 million gallons per day.
Round Rock obtains water from the Brazos River Authority from intakes at Lake Georgetown and Lake Stillhouse Hollow. Round Rock also draws water from the Edwards Aquifer.
Future Water Supply
The BCRUA is moving forward in the development of a new water treatment plant in Cedar Park, new intake structures on Lake Travis, and new raw and treated water pipelines. The project will cost an estimated $330 million dollars and will be completed in three phases.
Phase One
In the first phase of the project, construction will include:
- a temporary, floating raw water intake structure at Cedar Park’s plant on the Sandy Creek arm of Lake Travis,
- a new raw water pipeline proposed within the Trails End Road right of way,
- a new regional treatment plant in Cedar Park. The proposed site of the plant is northwest of the intersection of Lime Creek Road and FM 1431 on the west side of Cedar Park.
- a new treated water transmission pipeline across the north side of Cedar Park. This plant will have an initial capacity of 30 million gallons per day and an ultimate capacity of 106 million gallons per day.
Phase Two
The second phase of the project involves the construction of a new, fixed deep-water intake structure in Lake Travis and a raw water pipeline to the new plant. Since both Cedar Park and Leander’s existing floating intakes are located on the Sandy Creek arm of Lake Travis, construction of a deep-water intake is vital to the project. In drought conditions, floating intakes can be grounded. The permanent deep-water intake structure is planned for completion in 2011. It will have an ultimate capacity of 142 million gallons per day and will serve existing treatment plants as well as the new regional plant in Cedar Park.
Phase Three
The third phase of the project will be an expansion of the treatment plant, expected to be needed by 2016.
Project -
On January 28, 2008, the Texas Water Development Board approved the BCRUA’s application for a $309 million loan contingent on the project getting all the necessary state and federal approvals and environmental permits. The BCRUA also has the ability to raise revenue from the sale of bonds and by increasing water usage rates.
As described above, the first phase of the project includes a temporary, floating raw water intake structure at Cedar Park’s plant on the Sandy Creek arm of Lake Travis. BCRUA is seeking the permission of Travis County to run the line through a park owned by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), but administered by Travis County. Under Chapter 26 of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, such a decision will require a hearing. The Travis County Commissioners had set that hearing for February 26, 2008. On February 12, the Court postponed that hearing to a later time to be announced in order to allow the BCRUA engineers more time to complete the design study.
On February 19, 2008 the BCRUA voted down a resolution to put an underground pipeline through a park owned by LCRA and operated by Travis County, despite the recommendation of engineers that it would be the least expensive of the four routes studied. The BCRUA will re-evaluate alternative routes.
In April 2008, the BCRUA chose an alternate site, south of Cedar Park, for the temporary raw water intake structure. Construction will begin in 2009.
The BCRUA by-laws require resolutions be passed by a unanimous vote. The resolution had only one opponent. The three voting board members are Cedar Park City Council Member Cobby Caputo, Round Rock City Council Member Scott Rhode, and Leander Mayor John Cowman.
Construction set to begin in early spring of 2008 will now be delayed until late summer, 2008.
The BCRUA conducted a survey of citizens of the Village of Volente about how the proposed fixed deep water intake structure will impact their community. The results of the survey were presented to the BCRUA Board of Directors at their Tuesday, April 29, 2008 meeting.
This survey will be included in the overall analysis of the various site locations. The complete study was presented in May 2008. The Board then approved a resolution determining the preferred site for the deep water intake in the Volente Village area and authorizing the General Manager to take all appropriate action to prepare for acquisition of the site.
Since October 2008, the BCRUA and officials from the Village of Volente have been in negotiations about the proposed site of the fixed deep water intake structure and the pipeline.
On December 10, 2008, the BCRUA hosted a joint meeting with city officials from the Village of Volente, Leander, Cedar Park, and Round Rock. The Village of Volente wants an independent third party analysis of alternatives and technologies for the deep water intake and raw water pipeline. The discussion centered around how that study would be funded.
Other topics discussed included the potential health and safety issues resulting from construction and operation of this project, compliance with all of Volente’s ordinances and zoning during construction and operation of the deep water intake and pipeline, and financial responsibility, accountability, liability, and insurance for the project.
Negotiations between the Village of Volente and the BCRUA will continue in 2009.
Resources
Results of Citizen Survey
