[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
30 AND WE'LL START WITH WATER COMMISSION, JULY 14TH, 2021 VIDEO CONFERENCING AND IVD COMMISSION APPEND.AND THEN BEFORE WE MOVE ON AND, UH, I CAN, UH, UH, DISCUSS ABOUT FOR THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE F UH, AUGUST THE FOURTH, AND WE'VE GOT TWO OPTIONS.
ONE IS THE VIDEO CONFERENCING.
THE OTHER ONE IS IN PERSON, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE, UH, ON WEDNESDAY EVENING EITHER.
WE WILL DISCUSS AND TO MAKE DECISION MIXED THE MEETING, UH, SCHEDULE PLANNING.
[A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
TO ITEM EIGHT APPROVAL OF MINUTES OR MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 2ND, 2021 MEETING COMMISSIONER.IS THERE ANY EDITING OR ANY COMMENTS OR ANY OTHER MOTION I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES?
MS. CHERYL
AND I JUST WANTED TO, UH, MENTION THAT ALL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COMMISSIONER CHRISTIE WILLIAMS, WHO IS ABSENT.
SO, UH, FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER MICHELLE MAKING A MOTION AND VICE CHAIR, CASTLEBERRY, UH, SECONDING, UH, COMMISSIONER MORIARTY.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS. ABSENT COMMISSIONER FISHER.
[B. ITEMS FOR COMMISSION’S REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL TO CITY COUNCIL]
TO ITEM B AND WE WILL GO AROUND THE TABLE AND ASK A COMMISSION THAT IF ANY, WE, THOSE QUESTIONS AND WE STOP WITH COMMISSIONER MOODY, PLEASE.CAN WE SHOOT A PAIN? UH, NO QUESTIONS.
I HAVE A RECUSAL ON ITEM B SIX.
WE WERE ASSIGNED MY FIRM AS A SUB CONSULTANT ON THAT PROJECT.
I HAVE A RECUSAL ON ITEM EIGHT.
UM, MY FIRM HAD SUBMITTED A STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS TO THAT CONTRACT.
I ALSO HAVE A REPEATABLE ONE ITEM 11.
MY FIRM IS PROVIDING ENGINEERING SERVICES TO THE MASTER DEVELOPER.
SO NUMBER SEVEN IS SOFTENED TO THE DESIGN ENGINEER FOR THE PROJECT.
VICE CHAIR, KITSAP ERIN, NO QUESTIONS, NO RECUSALS COMMISSIONER MOSCOW, NO REFUSALS.
SO ON A CONSENT ITEMS ARE E 1, 2 3 4 5 9 N.
AND THE, LET ME REPEAT ONE MORE TIME.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, QUAIL, ELECTRONIC.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
[00:05:02]
WE SHOULD LOOK TO THE EDIT.SECOND FOR THE CONSENT ITEM IS SPRANG UP WITH HIS COAT AND OLD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH VICE-CHAIR CASTLEBERRY MAKING A MOTION AND COMMISSIONER TRITA SECONDING COMMISSIONER MORIATTI PEN.
[B.6. Recommend approval to negotiate and execute an amendment to the professional services agreement with Carollo Engineers, Inc. for professional engineering services for the Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant Headworks Improvements in the amount of $4,600,000, for a total contract amount not to exceed $5,600,000. (District 1)]
SIX.I THINK I'M IN APPROVAL TO NEGOTIATE.
AN AMENDMENT TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH COLORADO ENGINEERS OR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE WALNUT CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, THE HEAD WALKS IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF 4 MILLION, $600,000 FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT A MONTH, NOT TO EXCEED $5.6 MILLION.
AND THIS DISTRICT NUMBER ONE, AND I BELIEVE, UH, COMMISSIONER PENN IS CHOOSING AND THE COMMISSIONER YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS.
AND THIS ITEM, I CAN GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER MICHELLE.
IT'S
[B.7. Recommend approval to award and execute a construction contract with Underground Water Solutions Co., for the Beverly Road Water and Wastewater Pipeline Renewal project in the amount of $868,881.00 plus a $86,888.10 contingency, for a total contract amount not to exceed $955,769.10. (District 10).]
SEVEN AND THEN I WILL ASK, UH, VICE CHAIR CONDUCT MEETING, PLEASE.I THEN, UM, D SEVEN, FOUR RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO AWARD AND EXECUTE A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH THE UNDERGROUND WATER SOLUTIONS COMPANY FOR THE BEVERLY ROAD WATER AND WASTEWATER PIPELINE RENEWAL PROJECT, AND THE AMOUNT OF $868,881.
PLUS AN $86,888, 10 CENTS CONTINGENCY OR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $955,769 AND 10 CENTS.
WE HAVE A COMMISSIONER LEE RECUSING, AND WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER MUSGROVE.
UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT THE THOUGHT WAS THAT TWO THEY'RE THE SAME CONTRAST WITH THE UNDERGROUND WATER SOLUTIONS COMPANY.
THEY NOT TWO PROJECTS AWARDED LAST MONTH AND THEY WERE, THEY'RE ALL KIND OF HIGH PRIORITY PROJECTS.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT CONCERNS ANYBODY OR IF THEY'RE THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM STAFF AVAILABLE TO, TO GET THOSE PROJECTS THEN IN THE TIMEFRAME, THE LOCK-IN SO SORRY.
WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE HEARING YOU.
DID YOU HEAR THE QUESTION? I DID.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS ON
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THE GATE, THESE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS, AS YOU KNOW, THEY, UH, CONTRACTORS ARE WARRANTED BASED ON LOW BED.WE DO HAVE REQUIREMENTS IN THE CONTRACT FOR PAYMENT AND PERFORMANCE BONDS, AND WE HAVE A TIME OF CONSTRUCTION SET, UM, OR REQUIRE THE CONTRACTOR UP FRONT TO PROVIDE US A SCHEDULE, SHOWING THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE THE RESOURCES TO MEET OUR REQUIRED SCHEDULE.
I BELIEVE ON THIS ONE, IT IS 360 CALENDAR DAYS.
SO BY, BY, UM, SUBMITTING A BID, THEY'RE COMMITTING TO MEETING THAT SCHEDULE THAT'S IN THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS, AND THEN WE WILL MONITOR, UM, THEIR PROGRESS AS WELL AND, UM, REQUIRE THEM TO PROVIDE ANY CATCH-UP PLANS IF THEY, IF THEY FALL BEHIND.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ITEM G SEVEN DISCUSSION.
UM, WE WILL THEN LET BLANCA DO THE REST REAL QUICK.
I DON'T, UH, AGENDA ITEM B SEVEN WITH CONSTRUCT MOSCOW OF MAKING A MOTION AND COMMISSIONER TRITA SECOND AND SECONDING THAT MOTION.
YOU AT ALL, TURNS THAT MEETING BACK OVER TO CHAIR LEE.
[B.8. Recommend approval to negotiate and execute an amendment to the professional services agreement with K Friese & Associates, Inc., Request for Qualifications Solicitation No. CLMP246 to provide engineering services for South Area and Northwest Area Lift Station Improvements in the amount of $86,000, for a total contract amount not to exceed $3,586,000. (Related to item B9)]
TO ITEM B ELITE.WE COMMAND APPROVAL TO NEGOTIATE AND IT'S CUTE.
AND AMENDMENT TO THE POPULATION WAS SERVICES.
AGREEMENT IS K FREEZE AND ASSOCIATES INC.
M P OH FOUR, SIX, PRETTY MUCH ENGINEERING SERVICES OR THE SOUTH AREA AND THE NORTHWEST AREA.
IF STATION IMPROVEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $86,000 OR TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT THAT EXCEED 3 MILLION, $586,000.
AND THIS IS RELATED TO WHO ITEM B NINE.
AND I BELIEVE, UH, COMMISSIONER
AND COMMISSIONER MUST GROUP SECOND.
IT
TRITA MAKING A MOTION AND COMMISSIONER MUSGROVE SECONDING WITH COMMISSIONER MICHELLE RECUSING.
THANK YOU, MS. BRANCA, IT'S MOVING
[B.11. Recommend approval of a resolution for the issuance by Pilot Knob Municipal Utility District No. 2 of Unlimited Tax Bonds, Series 2021, in a principal amount not to exceed $3,500,000.]
ON TO ITEM B 11.WE COMMEND APPROVAL OF A NEW SOLUTION FOR THE ISSUANCE BY NEF MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT.
NUMBER TWO OF OUR NAME UNLIMITED X POUNDS SERIES ONE D 21 IN THE POLICE REPORT AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $3.5 MILLION AND THAT'D BE CHIEF, UH, COMMISSIONER MICHELLE IS RECUSING ON IT AND ANY PUSHES COMMISSIONER
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I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT.
IS THERE A SECOND? THIS IS THERESA I SECOND, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER PRIETA.
I MEAN, WE FINISHED UP ALL THE ITEM BS.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEMS. SHE WANTS UPDATES CHAIR.
WE NEED TO DO CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.
[C.1. Update from Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force]
ON TO ITEM C ONE UPDATE FROM AUSTIN INDIE WAVE.WHAT ARE WE SAW? SPRAYING COMMUNITY TASK FORCE COMMISSION MORIARTY PLEASE.
WE HAD OUR EVERY TWO MONTH MEETING, UH, YESTERDAY AND WE RECEIVED A BRIEFING FROM THE STAFF ON VARIOUS ISSUES RELATED TO THE WATER FORWARD PLAN.
UM, AND WE ALSO RECEIVED A BRIEFING FROM AUSTIN WATER, SOME OF THE WINTER WEATHER ISSUES RELATED TO THE COMMUNICATIONS, UM, INFORMATION.
AND, UH, WE'RE WE'RE, I MEAN, VERY POSITIVE THINGS.
THIS, THE STAFF, THEY ARE WORKING ON 1,001 T3 UPDATE TO THE WATER FORWARD PLAN.
SO THAT WORK IS GOING FORWARD AND, UM, ALL THE ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN ARE, UH, ARE MOVING FORWARD.
SO I WOULD SAY IT WAS A GOOD MEETING AND, UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE MIGHT HAVE, WE SHOULD HAVE SCOTT, ANY QUESTION BOOKS.
[C.2. Update from Winter Storm Working Group]
TO ITEM C TO UPDATE FROM WINTER STORM WALKING GROUP.UM, BUT WORK GROUP JUST MEANT MET TWO DAYS AGO.
UM, UM, OUR THIRD MEETING, UM, KIND OF POURING INTO THE DETAILS UTILITY STAFF, UH, WALKED US THROUGH FOCUS ON THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, UM, AND, UH, DIFFERENT ASPECTS ABOUT, UM, WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE STORM.
I WILL SAY THAT UTILITIES DIGGING VERY DEEP, UM, AND, UM, LOOKING HARD AT, UH, WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THINGS COULD HAVE, UM, UH, WHAT THINGS THEY DID DO.
I KNOW IT WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING FOR ME TO SEE AND KNOW THROUGH, THROUGH THIS PROCESS, THE THINGS THAT THEY DID DO THAT I WASN'T AWARE OF.
UM, THEY ACTUALLY HAD SOME OPERATION OR DISTRICT.
I CALL THEM OPERATION STAFF THAT I GUESS, UM, THEY HAD SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE OUT IN THE FIELD WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THINGS WERE BEING DEALT WITH, UM, AS, AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE, UM, IN THE ROOM WITH US AND, UM, BOTH ON THE METER SIDE, UM, ON THE DISTRIBUTION LINE SIDE ANYWAYS, UM, IT, THERE, WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, WE STILL HAVE, THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE IN AUGUST 18TH AND WE'LL BE FOCUSED
[00:20:01]
AT, ON THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT AND OPERATIONS.THERE'LL BE ANOTHER MEETING AFTER THAT.
UM, THAT WE'LL LOOK AT THE EMERGENCY, UM, ENTERPRISE RESPONSE PLAN.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY IF I GOT THE WORDING OF THAT.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION A NEWS FOR WORK GROUP MEMBERS.
THERE MAY BE ANOTHER MEETING COMING.
UM, THE, THE YOU'LL HEAR AFTER THAT, UM, TO BE A PART OF THE PROCESS.
UM, BUT IN GENERAL, A UTILITY STAFF IS DIGGING DEEP AND REALLY TAKING A HARD LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS.
UM, AND I THINK WE HAD SOME GOOD DISCUSSIONS AND HOPEFULLY PROVIDED SOME VALUABLE FEEDBACK TO THEM.
UM, I'LL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS.
LET ME SHARE THAT PUSHES FOR VICE CHAIR.
[D.1. 2020 -2021 Annual Internal Review Report]
ON TO ITEM C 1 20 21 ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW REPORTS.AND I BELIEVE COMMISSIONERS GOT A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT REPORT AND THAT THIS IS AN ANNUAL REPORT THAT WE NEED TO SUBMIT TO THE CITY.
AND MY QUESTION IS YOU GOT ANY COMMENTS OR ANY LAST MINUTE STRATEGY THAT WANT TO BE DONE.
IF NOT, THEN WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT IT.
MOTION, MOTION MADE BY VICE CHAIR.
IS THIS A SECOND, MR. MICHEL SECONDS? I GET MY COMMISSION AND MICHELLE IS CALLED A LOAD.
FOR AGENDA ITEM D ONE WITH VICE CHAIR, CASTLEBERRY MAKING A MOTION AND COMMISSIONER MICHELLE SECONDING THAT CAN WE SHAMANA YARDI? YES.
[D.2. Approve a request from the Water and Wastewater Commission for Council Committee consideration of an audit of the Customer Assistance Program]
TWO REQUEST.COUNCIL COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION OF AN ORCHID OF CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
ALSO KNOWN AS CAP AND WE GOT A CD THEN FOR ROBBINS.
I NEED TO SPEAK MR. ROBINSON
HERE'S THE POWERPOINT READY? IT'S COMING UP.
WELL, WE'LL TELL YOU WHEN YOUR TIME STARTS, SIR.
WELL, CAN YOU SAY YOUR TIME IS, UH, YOUR PRESENTATION UP AND THANK YOU, COMMISSION.
I ATTENDED YOUR JUNE MEETING TO BESEECH YOU TO ASK THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR AN AUDIT OF THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT HELPS LOW INCOME RATE PAYERS WITH UTILITY BILLS.
I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THE RESOLUTION TODAY.
I HAVE THREE POINTS TO MAKE FIRST, UH, CAN YOU SHOW THE SLIDE OF THE LETTER, UH, DURING THE DISCUSSION OF HIS SUBJECT IN JUNE, ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS WONDERED WHY THE SOLID WASTE UTILITY DID NOT PARTICIPATE.
I ANSWERED THAT ACCORDING TO A DISCUSSION I HAD WITH THE FORMER MANAGER OF THE DEPARTMENT, HE WAS AGAINST THIS BECAUSE CAP DID NOT IN QUALM INCOME, QUALIFY PEOPLE ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS.
I HAVE SINCE PROVIDED A COPY OF THE LETTER THAT I ASSUMED YOU ALL RECEIVED FROM THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF SOLID WASTE.
THAT DOCUMENTS MY ANSWER TO THAT.
MY ANSWER TO THE COMMISSION WAS ACCURATE.
SECOND AUSTIN ENERGY DEFENDED IT'S AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT PROCESS IN JUNE.
BY STATING THAT SINCE SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS, UH, THAT PARTICIPANTS WERE DRAWN FROM
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ALREADY REQUIRE INCOME PARTICIPATION, THE PROCESS WAS SOUND.IF SOMEONE IN THE HOUSEHOLD IS PARTICIPATING IN A SOCIAL PROGRAM, IT DOES NOT MEAN THE HOUSEHOLD ITSELF IS POOR.
AS EXAMPLE, WHEN THE AUSTIN STATESMAN FIRST COVERED THIS PROBLEM ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE DECEMBER 1ST, 2014, STATESMAN, IT REPORTED A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER RECEIVED A CAP DISCOUNT WITHOUT REQUESTING IT.
HE BELIEVED THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE A RELATIVE LIVING AT HIS HOME RECEIVED BENEFITS FROM A SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAM, EVEN THOUGH HIS HOUSEHOLD WAS NOT POOR.
THIRD, MY FINAL POINT, UH, LAST MONTH I SHOWED THREE HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVING DISCOUNTS THAT APPEARED TO BE QUITE WEALTHY.
I SHOWED ONLY THREE BECAUSE I HAD LIMITED TIME, BUT LET ME SHOW YOU THREE MORE.
WOULD YOU SHOW THIS SLIDE? UH, THIS NORTHWEST AUSTIN GREENBELT HOME, UH, ON I'M NOT SEEING IT.
OH, CAN I CONTINUE THAT? PLEASE DO.
UH, THIS FIRST NORTHWEST AUSTIN GREEN BELL HOME WORTH $750,000 IS RECEIVING CAP SLIDE.
HERE'S ANOTHER NORTHWEST AUSTIN HOME RECEIVING CAP.
THE RIGHT PAYER OWNS OR CO OWNS THREE OTHER PROPERTIES FOR A TOTAL REAL ESTATE VALUE OF $1.7 MILLION.
AND HERE IS A NORTHWEST AUSTIN HOME, A 5,300 SQUARE FOOT IN SIZE THAT HAS RECEIVED CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE SINCE 2014.
THIS GREENBELT HOME HAS SOLAR POWER AND ED CHARGER, A GAME ROOM, A WET BAR AND 1700 SQUARE FOOT OF DECKS AND TERRACES SQUARE FEET OF DECKS AND TERRACES.
UH, SO COMMISSION, THIS HAS TO STOP, I BELIEVE IN AUDIT IS THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS.
I HOPE YOU AGREE, AND WE'LL PASS THIS RESOLUTION.
MISS MR. ROBBINS COMMISSIONERS.
THIS ITEM IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER MORIARTY AND THE CO-SPONSORED BY VICE CHAIR CASTLEBERRY.
AND THEY TRIED TO GET EVERY SOLUTION BY THE, BECAUSE OF THE CITY CHARTER REQUIREMENTS THAT WE GOT FOOD USE THE FORM OR THIS ITEM.
AND I BELIEVE IN YOUR PACKET, YOU GOT A TITLE IS LEAST IN THE COMMISSION COUNCIL COMMITTEE AGENDA QUEST.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO IMPEDE.
IT WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE COUNCIL.
AND THEN, THEN YOU SEE THIS ITEM NEED TO BE CONTINUING AS WE TWIST IT OR NOT.
ANY QUESTIONS CHAIR? I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
I WOULD JUST SAY I, I DO APPRECIATE MR. ROBBINS BRINGING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE COMMISSION AND MR. MORIARTY PULLING THIS TOGETHER FOR US.
I WOULD CAUTION, UH, LOOKING SOLELY AT, UH, REAL ESTATE VALUES IN THIS MARKET, UH, WITH WHICH HAVE GONE UP TREMENDOUSLY THIS PAST YEAR AND HAVE STEADILY GONE UP OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
I DO SUPPORT IN AUDIT AND DO AGREE THAT INCOME SHOULD BE PART OF THE, UH, FACTORS AND INCLUSION IN THE CAP PROGRAM.
BUT I WOULD JUST CAUTION EVERYONE SOLELY LOOKING AT REAL ESTATE VALUES AS A, AS A METRIC OF, UH, UH, GETTING INTO THE CAP PROGRAM.
YOU GOT ANY MORE QUESTION? IF NOT, WE WILL ASK
[00:30:01]
SPRUNG UP.UM, I WANTED TO ASK IF YOU WANTED TO, UH, REQUEST FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE A MACHINE ON THE SIDE OF THEM, OR IF YOU JUST WANT TO MAKE A STORY, THE COMMISSIONER, WE ARE INDEPENDENT EMOTION, BUT IT SHOULD BE BILL MORIARTY MOVES APPROVAL.
HOW MANY SHOULD I TURN INTO SECONDS? OKAY.
SO FOR ITEM A DAY, TUNE WITH COMMISSIONER, MORIARITY MAKING MOTION FOR APPROVAL AND COMMISSIONED TRUE YETTA SECONDING.
[E.1. Water Conservation and On-Site Reuse Pilot Incentives]
ITEM E CONSERVATION AND ONSITE.THIS ITEM WAS A REQUEST BY VICE CHAIR, KISSEL CASTLEBERRY, AND WE WILL LET'S UH, STOP THE TEMPTATION PLEASE STAFF OVER KEVIN COOGEE, UH, AND KEVIN CRITTENTON AND ANY OTHERS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED.
WERE PULLING OVER KEVIN CREGAN KEVIN CRITTENDON RIGHT NOW.
CAN YOU, CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? YES.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS KEVIN CLOONEY MANAGER OF THE WATER CONSERVATION WATER CONSERVATION DIVISION.
I AM EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY TO TALK ABOUT, CAN YOU ALSO
SO HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A LOT OF CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES AND ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEMS. HOWEVER, I WILL APOLOGIZE TO COMMISSIONER MORIARTY, UH, FOR SEEING ALMOST THE EXACT SAME PRESENTATION YESTERDAY.
YOU GET TO SEE SO MUCH CONSERVATION IN TWO DAYS AND HOW LINE OF WHAT I WANT TO DISCUSS TODAY.
SECOND TALKING ABOUT THE CONSERVATION PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN ACTING NUMBER THREE, SPECIFICALLY, SPENDING A FEW MINUTES, TALKING ABOUT THE ONSITE WATER REUSE PILOT, AND THEN WE'LL DISCUSS HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING OVER THE LAST YEAR, HOW THE ACTIVITY LEVELS BEND AND THEN A QUICK WRAP UP AT THE END, LOOKING FORWARD.
JUST VERY BRIEFLY TO GIVE YOU SOME IDEA OF SCALE.
THE WATER CONSERVATION DIVISION IS ABOUT 20 STAFF MEMBERS BROKEN UP INTO THREE TEAMS. WE HAVE A CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM WHICH DEALS WITH CUSTOMER OUTREACH AND ASSISTANCE AND INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. WE HAVE A RESEARCH AND PLANNING TEAM THAT PULLS THIS DATA TOGETHER AND ANALYZES IT.
WE HAVE AN ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE TEAM AT DOES THE WATER PATROLS AND MONITORS THREE WATER EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE JUST A SIDE NOTE.
THERE ARE OTHER AWESOME WATER STAFF MEMBERS AND TO THE CUSTOM WATER TEAMS THAT ADMINISTER OTHER CONSERVATION RELATED PROGRAMS. SO FOR INSTANCE, THE WATER LOSS MITIGATION EFFORTS, AS WELL AS THE, UH, MY ATX WATER ROLLOUT IS HANDLED UNDER THE HUB OPERATIONS GROUPS ONSITE REUSE THAT ALL SKUS IN A BED IS TECHNICALLY HANDLED UNDER THE UTILITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES GROUP AND THE RECLAIMED WATER IS UNDER ENGINEERING SERVICES.
SO ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE ALSO GOING ON BEYOND WHAT I'M KIND OF
[00:35:01]
TALKED ABOUT TODAY.THEY'RE JUST NOT HAPPENING PRIMARILY WITH A LOT OF CONSERVATION STAFF.
NEXT SLIDE PROGRAMS THAT WE DO HAVE CAN BE BROKEN DOWN REALLY INTO FOUR CATEGORIES OR CLASSIFICATIONS CUSTOMER SERVICE.
WE WORK WITH INCENTIVES, THERE'S WATERING ENFORCEMENT AND THEN PROGRAM COMPLIANCE.
FIRST ONE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE REALLY IS THE BEDROCK OF CONSERVATION PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE AND NATION.
WE WANT LAST NICE TO SAVE WATER.
WE WANT TO HELP THEM SAVE WATER.
SO TO THAT END, WE RESPOND TO INQUIRIES AND REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION, INFORMATION, EXCUSE ME, WE PROVIDE SOME MATERIALS SUCH AS POSSIBLE IRRIGATORS OR LOW FLOW SHOWER HEADS.
FOR THOSE HIGH USE CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE A LOT OF IRRIGATION USE, WE PROVIDE FREE IRRIGATION AUDITS TO HELP THEM TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR SYSTEM.
AND THEN PARDON WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WE ARE PART OF THE GOAL REPAIR PROGRAM TO HELP FUND THE PLUMBING REPAIRS OR LIMITED IN LIMITED INCOME CUSTOMERS.
AND OF COURSE WE REALLY HOPE TO BE GETTING OUT THERE AND GOING TO PUBLIC EVENTS AND HAVING PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS AS THE YEAR GOES ON.
NEXT SLIDE, THE SECOND TYPE OF CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, COULD YOU GO BACK ONE SLIDE? UM, THE SECOND TYPE IS INCENTIVES OR REBATES.
WE HAVE A RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS CAN REBATE PROGRAMS REALLY KIND OF BROKEN UP INTO TWO TYPES, THE FIRST TYPE DEALS WITH WHAT ARE WATER USE, PRIMARILY LANDSCAPING, BUT ALSO POOL WATER USE.
THE SECOND GROUP OF INCENTIVE PROGRAMS IS MORE OF A GRAB BAG, BUT ALSO INCLUDES ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLIES THAT FOLKS COULD USE ON THEIR OUTDOOR LANDSCAPING, WHETHER THAT'S RAINWATER, HARVESTING, OR GRAY WATER REUSE AS PART OF OUR BAT LAUNDRY, THAT LANDSCAPE PROGRAMS, THE FINAL BULLET, THERE IS A PILOT PROGRAM THAT JUST ENDED IN JUNE.
IT'S A HOME WATER USE MONITORING DEVICE.
UM, THESE ARE DEVICES WHICH PEOPLE COULD ATTACH TO THEIR METER AND PROVIDE THEM UP TO INFORMATION ON THEIR WATER USE.
AND THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR TWO YEARS.
IT'S JUST FINISHED UP IN JUNE AND WE'RE COMPILING ALL THE RESULTS FROM THAT OBJECT.
NEXT SLIDE, COMMERCIAL INCENTIVES, SIMILAR TO THE RESIDENTIAL INCENTIVES.
HALF OF THEM REALLY DEAL WITH OUTDOOR WATER USE AND THE OTHER HALF REALLY DEAL WITH PROCESSES AND PERHAPS THE WHOLE, UH, BUSINESS WATER EFFICIENCY ASPECT IN WHICH WE OFFER FUNDING FOR AUDITS OR EVEN RAINWATER HARVESTING.
AND FINALLY THAT BULLET ON-SITE REUSE INCENTIVES IS A NEW ONE THAT WE'VE INSTITUTED.
AND I'LL TALK ABOUT IN JUST A MOMENT.
SO THOSE WERE THE FIRST TWO TYPES OF PROGRAMS. WE HAVE CUSTOMERS AND INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. THE THIRD TYPE OF CONSERVATION PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE IS THE WATERING AND WATER WASTE ENFORCEMENT.
NOW, AS YOU KNOW, LANDSCAPE WATERING RESTRICTIONS IN AUSTIN ALLOW FOR ONE DAY OF AUTOMATED AUTOMATED IRRIGATION, AND THEN A SECOND DAY OF HOSE IRRIGATION.
AND THIS WAS INSTITUTED BACK IN 2012 AT THE HEIGHT OF THE LAST BIG DROUGHT AND THEN WAS MADE YEAR ROUND BACK IN 2016.
AND AS YOU MIGHT, AS YOU KNOW, A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE MOVED TO AUSTIN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND THAT MEMORY OF THAT LAST SEVERE DROUGHT HAS REALLY FADED INTO THE BACK OF A LOT OF OUR MINDS.
SO IT REQUIRES CONSERVATION STAFF TO GO OUT AND REMIND RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS OF THEIR WATERING DAY AND TO CHECK ON ANY INSTANCES OF WATER WASTING.
SO THESE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE ACTUALLY GOING OUT MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, EARLY IN THE MORNING, OR IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES.
NEXT SLIDE, THE FINAL TYPE OF, OF THE FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT I HAD MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE IS THE PROGRAM COMPLIANCE MONITORING.
[00:40:01]
HAS THREE CONSERVATION RELATED COMPLIANCE PROGRAMS. THE FIRST ONE DEALS WITH COMMERCIAL CAR WASHES ONCE A YEAR, OUR WASHES HAVE TO BE INSPECTED BY A LICENSED PLUMBER AND THAT WATER EFFICIENCY REPORT HAS TO BE TURNED INTO THE WATER CONSERVATION DIVISION, COMMERCIAL IRRIGATION.AND THESE ARE FOR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS, AS WELL AS MULTIFAMILY CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE MORE THAN ONE ACRE OF IRRIGATED LANDSCAPE.
THEY HAVE TO CONDUCT AND HAVE AN IRRIGATION ASSESSMENT CONDUCTED FOR THEM EVERY OTHER YEAR AND TURNED IT INTO AUSTIN WATER CONSERVATION.
AND FINALLY, THE NEWEST OF THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS LIKE KICKED OFF BACK IN DECEMBER IS FOR, FOR COOLING TOWERS, COOLING TOWERS, NEW COOLING TOWER SINCE 2008, THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN REPLACED SINCE THEN MUST HAVE ANNUAL INSPECTIONS AND THOSE ANNUAL INSPECTION REPORTS NEED TO BE SUBMITTED TO WATER CONSERVATION.
SO I HAD MENTIONED THE FOUR TYPES OF WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. WE HAVE, UH, CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE INCENTIVES, WATERING ENFORCEMENT AND THESE COMPLIANCE PROGRAMS. BUT I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO REALLY FOCUS ON A NEW TYPE OF PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE NEW TYPE OF INCENTIVE THAT WE HAVE ONSITE.
WE USE SYSTEMS PILOT AND INCENTIVES.
THIS NEW PROGRAM IS BASED UPON ONE OF THE STRATEGIES AND THE 2018 WATER FORWARD PLAN.
AUSTIN WATER WAS DIRECTED BY THE COUNCIL TO ADDRESS ONSITE WATER REUSE FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS GREATER THAN 250,000 FEET.
NOW TO FURTHER THIS ONSITE WATER REUSE PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION HAS BEEN BROKEN DOWN INTO TWO PHASES.
THE FIRST PHASE IS A VOLUNTARY PHASE THAT TOOK EFFECT BACK IN DECEMBER OF THIS LAST YEAR IN 2020.
AND THE EFFECT SECOND PHASE WILL BE A MANDATORY PROGRAM TAKING EFFECT SOMETIME IN 2023, RIGHT? THE LATTER PART OF 2023, DEPENDING UPON ADOPTION.
NOW THIS FIRST PART IS AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM REALLY INTENDED TO HELP INCENTIVIZE THE INSTALLATION OF ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEMS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
BUT THE IDEA OF OFFSETTING AUDIBLE WATER USE THAT THEY MAY BE USING OR MAY HAVE USED, THEY DIDN'T INSTITUTE THIS ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEM.
THESE ONSITE RECYCLING SYSTEMS OFFSET THE POTTABLE DEMAND BY COLLECTING, TREATING, AND USING ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLIES ONSITE THAT ARE PRODUCED ON SITE.
THESE CAN INCLUDE RAINWATER, STORMWATER, RAINWATER FOUNDATION, DRAINAGE, AIR CONDITIONER, CONDENSATE, OR EVEN BLACK WATER.
AND THAT REUSE WATER WILL BE USED FOR NON-POTABLE USES SUCH AS TOILET FLUSHING, IRRIGATION, LAUNDRY, AND COOLING TOWER MAKEUP.
SO AS YOU SEE, THE FIRST PART IS VOLUNTARY WITH INCENTIVES.
AND THE SECOND PART IS, IS MANDATORY SLIDE.
JUST A MENTION HERE OF THE AMOUNT OF INCENTIVES.
THE INCENTIVES ARE REALLY IN TWO TIERS FOR THOSE PROJECTS THAT CAN OFFSET A MILLION GALLONS OF POTABLE WATER A YEAR THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR ELIGIBLE FOR UP TO $250,000 IN INCENTIVE REIMBURSEMENTS.
AND FOR THOSE THAT, TAKE IT UP A LEVEL AND CAN OFFSET THREE, NINE GALLONS A YEAR THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR $500,000.
THE ENTIRE PROJECT IS BUDGETED FOR A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR OR THREE YEARS.
AND WE'RE OPEN FOR ABOUT TWO TO FOUR SYSTEMS PER YEAR.
AS I MENTIONED, IT JUST GOT STARTED BACK IN DECEMBER, UM, IS REALLY JUST BEEN KIND OF DEVELOPING SINCE UNFORTUNATELY AT THIS POINT, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY APPLICATIONS FOR THIS INCENTIVE PROGRAM IN HOUSE.
HOWEVER, WE WILL BE WORKING THROUGH THE REST OF THE SUMMER AND INTO THE FALL ON OUTREACH TO INDIVIDUAL GROUPS OR DEVELOPERS WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THIS AND TRY TO GET THIS INCENTIVE PROGRAM GO NEXT SLIDE.
SO I'VE TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE DO NOW.
[00:45:01]
TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES DESCRIBING HOW'S IT GOING? WHAT HAS BEEN THE ACTIVITY LEVELS? AND I PUT A SUMMARY RIGHT UP FRONT.IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A CLIFFHANGER HERE.
UM, BUT AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, OUTREACH ACTIVITY IS SORT THE LAST YEAR DURING THE PANDEMIC HAD BEEN CHALLENGED WITH THE SCHOOLS GOING ONLINE, A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY EVENTS IN CANCELED, IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE TO REACH OUT TO CUSTOMERS PRIMARILY ELECTRONICALLY.
SECONDLY, THE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS THAT ARE DESCRIBES ARE REALLY HOLDING STEADY.
SOME OF THEM ARE HOLDING STEADY.
I'M SAYING IN SOME OF OUR ARE DECLINING AND ARE IN CHALLENGED.
AND THE FINAL SUMMARY BULLET POINT, THERE IS THESE MANDATORY PROGRAMS THAT I DESCRIBED COOLING TOWERS, COMMERCIAL IRRIGATION COALITION REALLY REQUIRE MONITORING DESPITE BEING AN ORDINANCE TO KEEP SAVING THAT WATER.
AND WE HAVE TO MONITOR IT NEXT SLICE SNAP SHOT OF SOME OF THE RESIDENTIAL INCENTIVES THERE.
YOU SEE THE VERTICAL FOREST INDICATING THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS TO THESE VARIOUS PROGRAMS FOR THE LAST FOUR FISCAL YEARS.
ONE NOTE IS THAT FISCAL YEAR 21, THOSE FIGURES ARE YEAR TO DATE.
SO WE STILL HAVE TWO AND A HALF MONTHS.
SO WHAT TYPICALLY WAS THE, HAS BEEN THE ARTISTS AND DRIVERS MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
SO SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE APPLICATIONS IN THEM.
AND THAT'S THE FAR RIGHT? THE BROWN BOX, THE MOST, UH, THE PROGRAMS WITH THE MOST INTEREST INCLUDE ON THE FAR LEFT AT HOME WATER USE MONITORING DEVICE.
IRRIGATION AUDITS ARE ALWAYS VERY POPULAR ASSISTING CUSTOMERS WITH HIGH IRRIGATION WATER USE IN BILLS.
SO I EXPECT THAT AT 1 34 TO GROUP GO UP INTO THE 200 TO 200, PROBABLY BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
AND RAINWATER HARVESTING CONTINUES TO BE A CONSISTENT PROGRAM THAT HAS A LOT OF INTEREST.
SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT HAVE HAD A HARD TIME GETTING TRACTION OR HAD SOME DECLINE, ERICA APPLICATION UPGRADES, DROUGHT, SURVIVAL TOOLS, AND THE WATERWISE LANDSCAPES HAVE BEEN HAD SOME CHALLENGES.
NEXT SLIDE, RATIONAL INCENTIVES, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WERE COMMERCIAL INCENTIVES AND KUMAL ALL COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT SHOWS LAST YEAR.
IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE SINCE THIS SLIDE WAS MADE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THREE COMMERCIAL INCENTIVE APPLICATIONS HAVE COME IN, BUT NEVERTHELESS, IT IS STILL REMAINS PRETTY LOW.
THERE'S ONE TALL BAR THERE IN THE MIDDLE, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF 54 BLUE BAR, THERE THAT'S REALLY SOMEWHAT OF AN ANOMALY.
IT WAS AUSTIN ISD HAVING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BOND MONEY TO PAIR UP WITH OUR INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, TO REFURBISH SOME OF THEIR SCHOOLS AND GAIN GREATER WATER EFFICIENCY.
BUT BESIDES FOR THAT ANOMALY, IT'S BEEN PRETTY TOUGH GIVEN APPLICATIONS WHO WERE COMMERCIAL INCENTIVES AND THAT, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAD NO, NO ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEM, INCENTIVE APPLICATIONS COME IN THE DOOR YET, OR WE'RE STILL HOPEFUL WITHOUT NEXT SLIDE.
THE WATER AND ENFORCEMENT IS THE STAFF GOING OUT OUT OR RECEIVING CALLS ABOUT WATERING ON THE WRONG DAY IS A SNAPSHOT OF THAT ACTIVITY OF HOW THAT HAPPENS.
THE BLUE BARS, THERE ARE ACTUAL WITNESS VIOLATIONS, STAFF GOING OUT, DRIVING AROUND AND SEEING PEOPLE WATERING ON THE WRONG DAY.
AND THEN THE ORANGE BARS WERE CALLS FROM CITIZENS, CUSTOMERS, REPORTING, WATERING AND WATER WASTING.
AS YOU SEE AS KIND OF A CURVE DOWN FROM OCTOBER AND THEN UP INTO JUNE WITH, AS YOU SURE YOU SURMISED FEBRUARY WAS THE WINTER STORM YURI RECEIVED.
WE RECEIVED A LOT OF CALLS REGARDING NOT WATERING SO MUCH AS POTENTIAL WATER WASTE TEAM OR BREAKS OR LEAKS NEXT SLIDE.
AND IN TERMS OF THE PROGRAM, COMPLETE MONITORING COMPLIANCE.
I MENTIONED THOSE THREE PROGRAMS BEFORE OR ON THE FAR LEFT THERE, THE COMMERCIAL FACILITY, IRRIGATION ASSESSMENTS, 95% OF THOSE CUSTOMERS ARE COMPLIANT AND TURNING
[00:50:01]
IN THEIR REPORTS.THEIR BI-ANNUAL REPORTS IN THE MIDDLE.
WE HAVE THE COMMERCIAL CARWASH FACILITIES.
86% OF THOSE CUSTOMERS ARE COMPLIANT AND TURNING IN THEIR INSPECTION REPORTS AND COOLING TOWERS, 79% COMPLIANT.
SO STAFF ARE DOING A GOOD JOB FOLLOWING UP WITH, WITH CUSTOMERS TO TURNING IN THESE INSPECTION OR ASSESSMENT REPORTS.
SWITCHING GEARS, JUST, UH, JUST A MOMENT.
I WANTED TO SPEND TWO QUICK SLIDES ADDRESSING HOW ARE OUR ACTIVITIES ARE DOVETAILING WITH THE STRATEGIES IN THE 2018 WATER FORWARD PLAN? COMMISSIONER MORIARTY MENTIONED THE TASK FORCE IS LOOKING TO REVISE THE NEXT PLAN.
WHAT MIGHT BE THE 2023 WATERFORD PLAN OR THE WATER CONSERVATION DIVISION.
WE ARE WORKING PRIMARILY ON JUST A HANDFUL OF THESE DEMAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, INCLUDING T3 COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTIONAL ORDINANCES,
NEXT SLIDE, IN TERMS OF OUR PROGRESS SO FAR OR RESIDENTIAL AND MULTI-FAMILY CUSTOMERS, WE'VE INCREASED REBATE AMOUNTS, AND WE'VE ADDED A NEW NUMBER OF NEW PROGRAMS SINCE THAT 2018 PLAN, INCLUDING THE GRAY WATER REUSE AND THE, THE POOR CARTRIDGE FILTER, AS WELL AS AT HOME.
WHAT ARE YOU MONITORING DEVICE FOR COMMERCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL CUSTOMERS? WE'VE ALSO EXPANDED THE, OR INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF INCENTIVES AND EXPANDED A NUMBER OF THE PROGRAMS. AND THEN FINALLY ORDINANCES.
I MENTIONED THAT THE COOLING TOWER PROGRAM WAS ENACTED BACK IN DECEMBER 3RD, REQUIRES TWO COOLING TOWERS TO HAVE ANNUAL INSPECTIONS AND TO SUBMIT THAT INFORMATION TO THE CONSERVATION DIVISION.
THIS IS REALLY THE FINAL SLIDE OF THE PRESENTATION, JUST TO SHARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE REVIEWING THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND SAVINGS THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE A BROAD RANGE OF PROGRAMS, AUSTIN WATER CONSERVATION DOES.
SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT THOSE, SEE WHICH ONES ARE BEING UTILIZED, WHICH ONES ARE PRODUCING SAVINGS ALONG WITH OTHER STAFF AT AUSTIN WATER, WE ARE INVOLVED IN THE ROLLOUT OF THE MIGHTY PTX AUTOMATED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE, AMI DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE ESPECIALLY ARE INTERESTED IN HOW THAT DATA THAT WE'RE JUST STARTING TO COLLECT, CAN BE UTILIZED FOR OUR CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. I MENTIONED THE ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEM, OH, WRS IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY, INCENTIVES, AND LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ORDINANCE IS A REALLY A COUPLE OF ACTIVITIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT, OR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR TAKEAWAY TALKING TO STAKEHOLDERS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, BOARDS COMMISSIONS WOULD HAVE YOU TO GET AN IDEA HOW BEST TO CRAFT A LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ORDINANCE BY THE END OF NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND FINAL SLIDE IN CLOSING AUSTIN WATER CONSERVATION DIVISION HAS WIDE RANGE OF TOOLS THEY USE TO HELP AUSTINITES SAVE WATER.
WE CONTINUED TO REVIEW THESE TOOLS AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO GET COSTS INTO A NEW LEVEL OF WATER EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY WITH THEM.
YOU WERE ABLE TO GIVE ME THE SAME PRESENTATION TWO DAYS.
I THINK, I GUESS THEY ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION TWO DAYS IN A ROW.
AND, UH, BUT I'LL MAKE AN BEFORE I ASK MY QUESTION THOUGH, I, I DO LAUGH, UH, EXPRESSED HOW GLAD I AM THAT YOU HAVE MADE THE TRANSITION AFTER A 20 YEAR CAREER AT THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD, MANAGING STATEWIDE WATER CONSERVATION ISSUES, YOUR EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE WILL BE, UH, A GREAT BENEFITS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY GLAD TO HEAR MY QUESTION, WHICH YOU'LL REMEMBER FROM YESTERDAY, UH,
[00:55:01]
NOT TO BRING BRINGING THIS PART OUT HERE.I WAS MENTIONING THAT ARTICLE ABOUT THE LOST WATER ISSUE AND PROBABLY IT WOULD BE GOOD AT SOME POINT, AND I'M NOT SURE THIS IS AN IMMEDIATE THING, BUT THE ALSO WATER DEPARTMENT, UH, MAY WANT TO GIVE A SHORT PRESENTATION ABOUT THE, UH, LOSS WATER CONCERN THAT'S DEVELOPED, WHERE WE LAST YEAR IN CALENDAR YEAR, 2020, WE HIT A 12 YEAR HIGH FOR LOBSTER WATER.
AND, UH, I HAD SOME LITTLE CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, PEOPLE.
UH, I THINK MY QUESTION WAS GENERALLY, MAYBE WE OUGHT TO LOOK INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT AND GIVE A PRESENTATION BECAUSE OF COURSE WE DON'T WANT THAT ONE BAR GOING UP.
I'LL I'LL GIVE IT BACK TO THE CHAIR, COMMISSIONER MORIARTY.
UH, THIS IS DIRECTOR MS. HARRIS.
WE WILL, UH, ARRANGE FOR A BRIEFING TO THE COMMISSION.
UH, MATT CULLEN YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IS, UH, ONE OF OUR KEY LEADERS OF OUR WATER LOSS PROGRAMS. AND I THINK WE CAN GIVE YOU A SENSE OF, UH, THE PROGRAMS WE'RE DOING TO MANAGE WATER LOSS.
YEAH, I THINK, UH, AND AGAIN, THE WATER FORWARD GROUP PROBABLY NEEDS IT.
SO YOU COULD PROBABLY DO THE SAME.
I KEEP REPEATING PRESENTATIONS, BUT THAT THAT'S, THAT'S PROBABLY AN EFFICIENT WAY TO DO IT.
BUT, UH, I THINK, AND REST ASSURED THE CITY HAS, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS ADDRESS ALL THESE THINGS, REPLACE IT, NUMBERS OF FEET ALIGN EVERY YEAR AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT THIS PARTICULAR THING DOES SEEM EASY TO ME THAT, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE DOING ALL THE SAME THINGS WE ALWAYS DO, BUT THE NUMBER'S GOING UP.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S SO I THINK WHEN WE CHATTED ABOUT THIS, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LITTLE MORE TO THE MYSTERY, BUT, UH, I KNOW YOU GUYS WILL PUT TOGETHER A GOOD PRESENTATION.
LOOK FORWARD WITH BEN COMMISSIONER.
WE'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR KEVIN.
SO THE NEXT ONE, UM, UH, IT'S RICK CORONADO AND BRIAN HAWES LANKA.
UM, WE'RE STILL ON THE CONSERVATION ITEM.
THIS IS VICE CHAIR CASTLEBERRY.
UH, KEVIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I HAD ASKED FOR THIS AND I KIND OF, IT WAS NICE TO GET AN UPDATE.
IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE AND, UM, I ECHO COMMISSIONER MORIARITY'S SENTIMENT, AND THEN IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU, UM, WITH AUSTIN WATER AND GETTING TO BENEFIT FROM YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE.
UM, WHAT I HAD A QUESTION REGARDING THAT LAST DIALOGUE ON THE LOOKING FORWARD, WHAT DOES A LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ORDINANCE LOOK LIKE? SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE A, UH, LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION INCENTIVE PROGRAM IN WHICH WE TAPE PAY PEOPLE TO CHANGE OUT THEIR TURF, UM, PUTTING MORE WATER EFFICIENT PLANTS, BUT WHAT HAVE YOU, A LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ORDINANCE COULD INVOLVE ANY NEW DEVELOPMENT OR, OR, UM, PERHAPS EVEN REDEVELOPMENTS, DEPENDING ON HOW BROAD YOUR ORDINANCES IT COULD INVOLVE QUARRYING DIFFERENT TYPES OF LANDSCAPE OR CERTAIN TYPES OF WATER, EFFICIENT LANDSCAPE TO GO IN.
IT COULD LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF AREA OF TURF GRASS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LOST TO THINK OF AN EXAMPLE, BUT MAYBE, YOU KNOW, HALF OF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF YOUR HOUSE COULD BE TURF GRASS OR WHAT HAVE YOU, OR IT COULD LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF IRRIGATED AREA NEW DEVELOPMENT COULD HAVE.
SO THOSE ARE JUST A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT, THAT LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ORDINANCE COULD INCLUDE.
I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO, AS I MENTIONED, TALK TO STAKEHOLDERS AND, AND BUILDERS AND WHAT WE'RE JUST GETTING INPUT FROM THE COMMISSIONS AND TASK FORCE TO SEE HOW FAR OR WHICH DIRECTION THEY WANT TO GO, GO WITH THAT.
BUT THOSE ARE SOME POSSIBLE AREAS THAT OUR TRANSFORMATION ORNAMENTS COULD COVER.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IF I'M SURE THAT RESEARCH AND WHAT OTHER, OR WHAT OTHER CITIES TOWNS, OR WHATEVER HAVE DONE WILL BE A PART OF THAT EFFORT AS WELL.
[01:00:01]
YOU KNOW, GEORGETOWN HAD LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF IRRIGATED AREA TO SOME DEGREE AND NEW BRAUNFELS HAS SOMEWHAT OF A LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ORDINANCE FOR YOU DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE'LL LOOK INTO ACROSS THE STATE AND NATION, SEE WHAT WHAT'S BEEN DONE.COMMISSIONER GOT ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR KEVIN? UH, COMMISSIONER PAIN.
HI, KEVIN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE LAUNDRY TO LANDSCAPE TYPE INCENTIVE, OR MAYBE EVEN USING GRAY WATER FROM SHOWERS, UH, FOR LANDSCAPING PURPOSES.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS TARGETED AT NEW DEVELOPMENT OR ARE YOU SEEING IT RETROFITTED? I'M JUST, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
AND I WAS CURIOUS HOW THAT MIGHT WORK.
SO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, THIS LAUNDRY OR LANDSCAPE IS REALLY TARGETED TO EXISTING CUSTOMERS, RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS, SIMPLE INSTALLATION OF LINES TO TAKE WATER FROM THEIR WASHING MACHINE OUT TO A, AN IRRIGATED AREA.
UM, SO THOSE REALLY FOCUSED ON EXISTING CUSTOMERS.
UM, WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSION WITH COMPANIES THAT, THAT HAVE SYSTEMS THAT WILL PAY, THEY ARE INSTALLED WITH A NEW BUILDING, UM, AND TAKE IT TO THE WATER DIRECTLY FROM THE SHOWERS AND REUSE IT INSIDE THE HOUSE.
BUT THAT, THAT DOES BECOME A CHALLENGE, UH, TO USE IT WITHIN THE HOUSE.
SO WE STARTED TRYING TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS ON THAT GRAY WATER REUSE, BUT WE, YOU WILL MAKE, UH, MAKE SOME PROGRESS ON THAT.
ALSO THE CURRENT PROJECT IS, IS CURRENT CUSTOMERS.
GREG, THANKS FOR YOUR QUESTION.
AND I'LL BE INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THIS CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.
IT'S PRETTY FASCINATING TO ME.
ANY MORE QUESTION, KEVIN, IF NOT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[E.2. Harmful Algal Blooms]
TO ITEM E AND WE CAN MOVE.SO ON THE STAFF SIDE, UH, PLEASE MOVE BRIAN HAWES, RICK CORNETTO, STEPHANIE SHU, AND BRENT BELLENGER OVER AS PARTICIPANTS.
IT'S JUST GOING TO BE ONE MORE SECOND AND COMMISSION BRIAN HAWES.
UH, WE'LL BE DOING THE PRESENTATION TODAY, BUT OTHER STAFF ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, UH, UH, ON THE BRIEFING.
I JUST WANT TO KIND OF DO A QUICK INTRO.
UM, AS WE PULL UP THE SLIDES AND HAVE, UH, BRIAN HOUSE ON THE PANEL, UM, TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING, UM, I'M, UH, RICK BARNATO, UH, AUSTIN WATER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS.
WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING A HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS, BUT I WANT TO KIND OF, UH, INTRODUCE, UH, BRIAN HAAS.
BRIAN HALL IS ONE OF OUR OPERATIONS MANAGERS THAT'S OVER, UH, MULTIPLE DIVISIONS, INCLUDING, UH, THE PROCESS ENGINEERING AND REGULATORY DIVISION, UH, THE LABORATORY SERVICES DIVISION, AS WELL AS THE, UH, SPECIAL SERVICES DIVISION THAT KIND OF OVERSEES THE INDUSTRIAL PRE-TREATMENT AND WATER PROTECTION.
UH, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR KIND OF APPROVING TWO ITEMS, NUMBER THREE AND FOUR THEY'RE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THIS, UH, PRESENTATION AND PROGRAM, UH, THAT COVERED THE POWDER ACTIVATED CARBON AND THE LABORATORY EQUIPMENT, UH, FLOW CAM THE, WITH THAT INTRODUCTION, IF, UH, RYAN IS READY, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO BRIAN HAWES.
I'M WRITING A THANK YOU FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.
UH, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THIS BRIEFING ON AUSTIN WATER ACTIVITIES PERTAINING TO FARKLE AL APPLE FLOODS.
SO I'LL BEGIN WITH A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE TYPES OF ALGAES BOUNDS.
THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO POLLUTANT.
THIS WILL LEAD TO A DISCUSSION OF CURRENT CONDITIONS AND TRENDS.
WE'RE ALL SHARING THE RESULTS OF RECENT MONITORING BY AUSTIN WATER, THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER 40 AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
FROM THERE I'LL TRANSITION INTO OFTEN WALKED ANALYTICAL CAPABILITIES AND THE NEW THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON TO STRENGTHEN OUR
[01:05:02]
MONITORING PROGRAM.FINALLY, ALL THIS GUEST PAST AND ONGOING WORK WE'VE DONE TO ASSESS OUR CURRENT POSITION AND ACTIONS WE'RE TAKING TO BOLSTER OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO PINE HILL ALTEPLASE NEXT SLIDE.
SO LIKE ALL NATURAL WATER AND THE HIGHLAND LAKES, UH, CONTAIN VARIOUS TYPES OF WORK, PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN WHAT'S COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS BLUE GREEN ALGAE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A TYPE OF BACTERIA CAPABLE OR FOR THE SYNTHESIS.
UH, THESE CYANOBACTERIA ARE COMMON IN NATURAL WATER AND SOMETIMES, UH, PRODUCE TOXIC COMPOUNDS.
UH, ALSO KNOWN AS, UH, THE MAIN FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROLIFERATION OF CYANOBACTERIA ARE WARM WATER, LOW OR STAGNANT FLOW, THE ABUNDANCE OF NUTRIENTS.
SO BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR ALONG, I WANT TO MAKE AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION BETWEEN PLANKTONIC AND BENTHIC ALGAE, UH, IN PLANKTONIC CELLS ARE FREE FLOATING.
THEY GROW AND PROLIFERATE WITHIN THE WATER COLUMN AT VARIOUS DEPTHS, AND YOU MAY HAVE SOME OF THE MATERIAL, UH, FLOATING AND FLOATING AND ACCUMULATING ON THE SURFACE.
AND SO YOU SEE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT THERE.
AND THEN IN THE PICTURE OF LIKE HERE, IT LOOKS LIKE A GREEN OCEAN, THAT EVENT, WHICH CAUSED THE EVENT, NOT HARMFUL ALGAE BLOOM THAT AFFECTED THE SIMPLE TOLEDO IN 2014, AS I EXPLAINED TONIC WAS IN.
UM, AND THEN WE SEE THAT THERE THOUGH THE GRABS OF THE WATER.
UH, SO BENTHIC BY CONTRAST, PROLIFERATIONS BEGIN WITH BREATH, THE WATER BODY ALGAE, ALGAE MAPS DEVELOPED AND UTILIZED, UH, THAT ARE, THAT ARE IN THE SEDIMENT AND AVAILABLE LIGHT THAT PENETRATES THE BOTTOM OF THE WATER BODY.
SO IN SHALLOW WATER OR WHEREVER THE LIGHT CAN PENETRATE ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM, UH, YOU HAVE THE MORE POTENTIAL FOR A BENTHIC, UH, BENTHIC ALGAE.
UH, SO OVER TIME, THESE BATHS MAY, UH, DETACH FROM THE BOTTOM SURFACE.
UH, SO I'VE BEEN THINKING LVB, UH, PROLIFERATION IS GENERALLY, UH, I BOUGHT THEM IN THE LEG OR TOP OF THE WATER PHENOMENON, CHRONIC BLOOD, UH, MOST OFTEN IMPACTS THE MIDDLE OF THE WATER COLUMN, AND THIS IS RELEVANT TO US.
SO THE WATER INTAKE ARE SUBMERGED.
UH, THEY'RE NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT NEAR THE BOTTOM.
THEY ARE THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF LIKE TONIC BLOOMS OR, UH, THE DRAINERS REP FOR THE TROLLEY, THE WATER BEING DRAWN IN BAR PLANTS, UH, PICK OUT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DRAWING, NOT DRAWING FROM THE BOTTOM WITHDRAWING FROM, UH, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WATER COLUMN.
UH, SO I BROUGHT IT, I DREW ATTENTION TO THE FIRST TWO SPOTS THAT WAS CLONIC BLOOM, AND THEN A PHOTO OF IT.
TRAVIS, YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE WATER IS VERY CLEAR INSTITUTE GROW ON THE BOTTOM.
UH, AND THEN YOU SEE SOME BENTHIC ALGAE A LITTLE BIT IN THE TOP.
SO THAT'S A PHOTO COURTESY OF LCRA.
UH, UH, SO HOW DO WE DETECT AN ALGAE BLOOM AUSTIN WALKER? AND IT'S HONORING VARIOUS TYPES OF PHYTOPLANKTON IN THE WATER ENTERING THE PLANTS FOR MANY YEARS.
SO IT'S BEEN A GOOD INDICATOR ABOUT SYDNEY, UH, BEFORE IT BECAME A THREAT.
UH, WE WERE, WE'D BEEN DOING ALGEBRA COUNTS TO ANTICIPATE ALGEBRA BOOMS, UH, THAT MIGHT TASTE ANOTHER ISSUE.
SO UP UNTIL THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, THAT REALLY HAS BEEN OUR FOCUS, UH, FOR DETECTING, ALLOWS YOU TO FOCUS ON DOING BLANK TOTALS.
WE COUNT AND MEASURE SEVERAL OTHER TIMES, BUT, UH, BLUE-GREEN, UH, BLUE-GREEN TOES OFF THE PAPER, VERY RELEVANT TO OUR BLOUSE.
SO CURRENTLY THE WATER QUALITY LAB INDEX COUNTS, UH, ON WATER EACH PLANT ONCE A WEEK, UH, THIS IS, UH, THE ALBUM COUNTS OR LABORIOUS TIME PASS WHEN THE ALBUM COUNTS ARE HOT.
UH, IT MAY, IT COULD TAKE AS MUCH AS EIGHT HOURS FOR AN ANALYST TO COMPILE THE, UH, COUNT FOR A SINGLE SAMPLE.
UH, WHEN THE ALGAE COUNTS ARE LOW, UH, THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO ALL THREE SAMPLES, ALL THREE SAMPLES PER WEEK, UM, WITHIN A COUPLE OF HOURS.
SO IT VARIES, BUT IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE VERY, UH, TIMED.
SO IDEALLY WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SAMPLE MORE FREQUENTLY AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR.
UH, BUT, UH, BUT THE TIME SPENT TIME HAS TO BE BALANCED AGAINST ALL THE OTHER ANALYTICAL REQUIREMENTS.
[01:10:01]
UH, IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, REGULATORY SAMPLES, UH, THAT HAVE TO BE, IT HAS TO BE ANALYZED THAT'S OUR JOB, AND THAT'S WHAT WE FIND.UH, SO PHYTOPLANKTON CANCER IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF INFORMATION THAT THE WATER SHARED WITH THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS WITH THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY, ALL THREE OF, UH, UH, HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE SOURCE WATER AND WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER, UH, TO BUILD OUR KNOWLEDGE.
SO HERE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A BLUE, GREEN PLANKTON SAMPLE FOR THE, UH, AT THE INTAKES OF THE DATAS AND ALL REC WATER TREATMENT PLANTS FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2017 TO THE PRESENT, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE LAST SIGNIFICANT ALGEBRA BLUE, UH, OCCURRED IN FALL OF 2017.
UH, THE ACCOUNTS STARTED INCREASING IN TIMBER AND PEAKED AT, UH, OVER 50 200,000 ORGANISMS PER MILLILITER.
UH, AFFIDAVIT'S WATER TREATMENT PLANT, UM, AND THEN FINALLY RETURNED TO BASELINE LEVEL IN DECEMBER.
UH, UH, WE ALL REC PLANT, WHICH IS SHOWN WITH THE TRIANGULAR MARKERS, SO THAT IF THAT PLANT OUT THERE PEOPLE AT 14,000 ORGANISMS PER MILLILITER, AND A WATER TREATMENT FOR WATER FOR A WEEK BEFORE TWO THOUSANDS BACK HERE AS WELL.
UH, SO THE TAKEAWAY FROM THIS GRAPH IS THE MAGNITUDE OF THE COUNT DURING THE BLOOM.
UH, SO DURING THIS EVENT, THE LEVEL SPAN MORE THAN TWO AND A HALF ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE, UH, OUR BASELINE OR WHAT, WHAT WE, DURING THE OFF SEASON, WE'RE NOT SEEING A BLOOM, UH, OUR ACCOUNTS ARE, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED OR LESS 100 ORGANISMS PER MILLILITER OR LESS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY CURRENTLY.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, I CAN GO UP QUITE HIGH.
AND ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, CYANOBACTERIA ACCOUNTS OF LESS THAN 20,000 ARE CONSIDERED RELATIVELY LOW NEXT TIME.
SO AUSTIN WATER HAS BEEN MONITORING OUT TALKING FOR SEVERAL YEARS, UM, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE UNREGULATED COMPOUNDS, BUT NOT REQUIRED BY EPA, UH, MONICA FOR THEM, UH, ANY EPA, UH, HAS NOT SET MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVELS FOR THESE COMPOUNDS.
UH, IN 2015, UH, WE SAMPLED, UH, OUR WATER TREATMENT PLANT INTAKES, AND WE DETECTED
UH, JUST ABOUT THE DETECTION LIMIT.
THE LEVELS WERE 0.12 TO 0.1 FOR SPARKS, FOR JELLY WHEN THE DETECTION LIMIT BEING POINT OF TIME.
SO BARELY ABOVE, UH, THE LIMITED DETECTION.
UH, AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE HERE THAT THESE SAMPLES THAT WE'RE TAKING IN 2015, WHERE ARE THE ONLY SAMPLES WHERE WE HAVE EVER DETECTED ANY OF TOXIN IN THE RAW OR PRE-BID WATER.
UH, SO SEVERAL CYTOTOXINS WERE INCLUDED IN THE MIDDLE PROTECTION AGENCIES, UNREGULATED CONTAMINANT MONITORING RULE.
UM, SO WE TOOK, UH, BI-WEEK WAS SAMPLES OF OUR FORMAT.
WE WERE EVEN 29 WEEKS, UH, UH, AND ALL OF THOSE, THE RESULTS OF ALL OF THAT SAMPLING WERE NON-DETECT OR NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, UH, BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, WE'VE BEEN SAMPLING EVERY TWO WEEKS, UH, INTAKE OF THE PLANTS AND THEN THE TREATED WATER AT EACH PLANT, UM, EVERY BIWEEKLY OR TWO WEEKS, AND, UH, NO SIGN OF TOXINS HAD BEEN DETECTED.
SO, UH, TALK, UH, TELL YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE LEARNING, UH, IN OUR, OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH LCRA, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE NEWS STORY ABOUT THE DOG THAT DIED IN FEBRUARY AFTER FLYING AND LIKE TRAVIS HUDSON, THEN, UM, IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THIS DOG, UH, THAT THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS AL
SO IN RESPONSE TO THAT EVENT, WAS THERE A SAMPLE OF WATER AND THE ALGORITHM AT THAT LOCATION WHEN DETECTIVE XY, HYDRO ANAPROX A, IN BOTH THE ALGAE IN BOTH THE ALGAE AND THE WATER, UH, THE LEVEL OF WATER WAS 0.09 PARTS PER BILLION.
THE LEVEL IN THE AFTERNOON WAS MORE THAN 4,000 PARTS PER BILLION.
SO YOU SEE A DIFFERENT CONCENTRATION FROM THE WATER AND THE ALGAE, UH, WAS ALL FOUR AND A HALF OR SO.
LCRI CONTINUED SAMPLING THAT LOOKS, UH, BIWEEKLY
[01:15:01]
MAY, UH, SEA LEVELS, UH, DIHYDRO ANTITOXIN A, B ALGAE GO DOWN, UH, DROP TO VERY LOW NON-DETECT BY THE, BY MAY, UH, AND ALL THE WATER SAMPLES AFTER THAT FIRST SAMPLE WERE DIHYDRO IN TALKS WITH WHAT WAS DETECTED AT THAT MOST PATIENTS, ALL THE SAMPLES TAKEN AFTER THAT OR EXAM OR ANY SCIENCE, UH, UH, SO LCRA ALSO, UH, AS WELL SITES IN LATE MARCH, THEY TOOK THE REPRESENTATIVE SIDE, SO A RAMP, UM, TO ALGAE AND WATER SAMPLES AND, UH, UH, DIHYDRO ANTITOXIN A SECOND AND ALL WELL, THAT'D BE ALBUM SAMPLES AND IN FOUR OF THE WATER SAMPLES, UM, AND AGAIN, UH, THE LEVELS IN THE WATER WERE 0.15 PARTS PER BILLION OR LESS A DETECTION LIMIT FOR THAT IS 0.05.UM, SO DURING THIS TIME OFF, THE WATER WAS MONITORING, UH, FOR CYTOTOXINS AT OUR INTAKES, AS WELL AS IN OUR TREATED WATER.
ALL OF THOSE SAMPLES WERE NON-FAT FOR SIGNUP MOUNTAINS.
UM, WAS THERE A STOP MONITORING APPLICATION, UH, ONLY FIFTH, AND NOW THEY ARE DEPLOYING WHERE CALLED STAT BAGS, UH, MONTHLY AT VERY LOW CHARACTER LOCATIONS.
AND WITH SYSTEM SPENT BAGS CONTAIN A RESIN THAT WILL ABSORB, UH, THEY'LL BE LEAVING THESE BAGS OUT, UH, FOR TIME BEFORE ANALYZE.
WE'LL ALSO BE COLLECTING MONTHLY SAMPLES OF THE DAM AT EACH RESERVOIR.
NEXT SLIDE, UH, CITY WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
THEY ARE SAMPLING, UH, MONITORED BI-WEEKLY AT SOME LOCATIONS ON LIKE, BOSTON'S, UH, THAT WOULD BE A LOW WATER FROSTING.
I LOVE MANSFIELD DAM AND MOLONG METRO PARK AND WALSH LANDING.
AND THEN ON LABORED, LIKE THEY'RE MONITORING THAT, UH, RED BLOOD ASSESSMENT, THAT BEACH, AND, UH, OVER THE CORE, AND THEY'VE BEEN MONITORING, UH, FOR A FEW YEARS AND THEY HAVE THE TEXAS, UH, SCIENCE TALK TO ME AND WE ALGAE, UH, ON NEW AGENTS, UH, AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THEIR MIND, UH, IN ALL OF THE WATER SAMPLES THAT THEY'VE TAKEN, THEY HAVE NEVER DETECTED IN FACT OF THE TOP OF THE WATER.
SO PREVIOUSLY THE SPINOFF ALGAE COUNTS OUR MAIN DETECTING.
UH, AS I SAID BEFORE, IT'S A TIME CONSUMING PROCEDURE THAT EATS UP A LOT OF LABOR HOURS.
UH, ALTHOUGH VAL CAN WOUNDS DON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
WE'D BENEFIT FROM BEING ABLE TO MONITOR THEM MORE FREQUENTLY.
THIS IS WHY WE AMENDED THE PURCHASE OF A FLOW PAM.
NUMBER FOUR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT THIS DEVICE PASSED ALONG TO THIS DEVICE, AND IT TAKES PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE PARTICLES IN THE WATER AS THEY IDENTIFIED ARTICLE A, AGAIN, AN INTERNAL LIBRARY AND IT'S TILE INTO ACCOUNT, AND THIS CAN BE DONE WITH A FLOW CAM IN A MATTER OF MINUTES.
UH, SO THIS IS GREATLY ENHANCED.
OUR BUILDING THAT MONITOR ALFIE BIBLES AND THE WATER COMING IN ON THE ODDLY CYAN OR TOXIC, UH, ON THE SIDE.
UM, CURRENTLY WE DON'T HAVE THE VISIBILITY TO ANALYZE THE AND TOXINS IN THE HOUSE.
UH, THOSE THINGS ARE CURRENTLY BEING SENT OUT TO A CONTRACTOR.
UH, THIS IS COSTLY, A SINGLE SAMPLE, UM, IS, UH, $700 FOR A SEVEN, 10 DAY FINE.
AND IF THEY WANT A QUICKER TURN AROUND TIME AND MATH, WE CAN HAVE SOME, TWO OR FOUR TIMES THAT AMOUNT, UH, FOR THE EXPEDITED, UH, TURNAROUND, UH, OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE, SO OUR WATER QUALITY LAB IS DEVELOPING.
WE ALLY'S OF METHODS FOR ANALYZING, UH, FOR ANTHEM ELIZA, AN ACRONYM AND TIME, YOU KNOW, SORT OF ASSETS AND, UH, DEVELOP THIS METHOD, EQUIP US TO PRODUCE DAY WITH ALL AND HATS.
SO WE HOPE TO HAVE, IS GOING TO, IT TAKES TIME TO DEVELOP THIS METHOD THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE SCREENINGS DONE BY THE END OF THE SUMMER, MEANING WE CAN GENERATE THE FULL QUALITY ASSURANCE QUALITY INSTALLED, UH, WITH FULL METHOD DEVELOPMENT, UH, BY THE END OF THE YEAR,
[01:20:02]
NEXT SLIDE.SO THE ANALYTICAL IMPROVEMENTS WILL ENHANCE OUR ABILITY MONITORING TO BETTER HANDLE FOR THE WATER QUALITY.
UH, WE'VE ALSO UTILIZED AMERICAN WATER RATES, AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION RESOURCES.
AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WAS WORKING FOR RISK ASSESSMENT TOOL TO IDENTIFY FURTHER DEVELOPMENT VALUATIONS.
WE ALSO UTILIZE LIKE SCIENTISTS TALKS TOOL, WHICH IS A, UH, EXCEL-BASED CALCULATOR THAT, UH, CALCULATE A REMOVAL EFFICIENCY OF SCIENCE, UH, FIVE AREAS, OXIDANTS.
A LOT OF, A LOT OF THINGS ARE WRITTEN ABOUT HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS SINCE THE TOTAL, YOU KNOW, EVENT.
SO A REVIEW OF LECTURES ALL IS APPROPRIATE.
WE'VE ALSO REACHED OUT TO OTHERS FOR COLLABORATION AND INPUT.
UH, UH, SO THE BOSTON WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, WHILE I WAS THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY AND ALTO HIGHLIGHT, UH, OUR COLLABORATION WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
UH, THIS IS TRICKY BECAUSE, UH, AGAIN, AS I SAID BEFORE, THESE COMPOUNDS CAUSE TOXIC COMPOUNDS, THERE ARE NO MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVELS SINCE BABBLING BY THE ENVIRONMENT NEGATIVES.
SO, UH, WE NEED THE EXPERTISE OF, UH, OF AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH TO ASSESS, UH, ASSESS THESE LEVELS AND MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT LEVELS ARE APPROPRIATE OR WHAT LEVELS WOULD TRIGGER, UH, ACTION ON OUR PART.
UH, SO THEY HAVE THE EXPERTISE
ALSO ADVISE US ON, UH, UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, UH, THAT WE, UH, SO WE'VE GOT COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING AND PREPARE MATERIALS THAT WE HOPE WILL NEVER HAVE A BRIEF OUT THE MOST RECENT EVENT IN MAY AND JUNE IN FLORIDA, UH, UTILITY THAT WAS PULLING WATER FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE, THAT WAS LIKE SONIC, UH, TONY HARMFUL ALGAE BLOOM AT THAT.
UH, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THEIR COMMUNICATIONS PLANS ALL GET OUT.
AND THE LAST TIME WHEN IT CAME TIME TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC AND WERE CRITICIZED FOR IT, UH, AND MAKING A TIMELY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
SO, UM, LESSON LEARNED WAS VERY THAT FORWARD, UH, IN OUR PREPARATION.
SO WE'VE EVALUATED, UH, OUR DIFFERENT CAPABILITIES AS THE PLANTS AND COUNSELING, PULMONARY TESTING AND TREATMENT OFTEN, UH, FINALLY WORTH PARTICIPATING, UH, WITH THREE OTHER UTILITIES AND A WATER RESEARCH FOUNDATION STUDY WITH SEEKS TO DEVELOP A PREDICTIVE TOOL THAT USES WATER QUALITY DATA TO ASSESS, OH, RISKS.
TO ASSESS OUR PLANT READINESS.
WE COMPARE OUR EXISTING FRIEDLAND CAPABILITIES AGAINST THE CURRENT GUIDANCE.
CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT IS ALWAYS THE FIRST PROCESS MENTIONED IN ALL THE LITERATURE, UH, CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT BEING FABULATION FLOCCULATION SEDIMENTATION RESPIRATION, UH, A WELL OPERATED CONVENTIONAL PROCESS IS EFFECTIVE AND WE'RE MOVING SIGN OF BACTERIAL CELLS.
THE NEXT TWO PROPHECIES, UH, MENTIONED IN THE LINEUP ARE ABSORPTION WITH PATTERN AGGRAVATED FARMING OR GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON.
AND THE NEXT ONE IS GETTING, UH, CHEMICAL OXIDATION.
SO, UH, AS YOU ARE PROBABLY AWARE, ALL OF OUR PLANTS ARE LIPPED TO FEED PATTERN ACTIVATED MARVIN, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT ON ITEM THREE, UH, SUPPORTING ITEM THREE, UH, TO APPROVE THE, UH, THE CONTRACT WITH BBQ TECHNOLOGIES, MEET THE BUSINESS ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR STRATEGY OF ACTIVATING DEPARTMENT.
SO, UH, THAT, THAT CONTRACT, UM, AND OF COURSE WE'VE BEEN USING POWDERED ACTIVATED CARBON LOSS OR HARMFUL ATTRIBUTES.
UH, THE PAYMENT ISSUE WE'VE BEEN USING POWDERED EQUITY DEPARTMENT ON A SACK ON AN, ON AN ASTHMA FOOD ADDRESS PLACED ON SATURDAYS.
UM, IN TERMS OF OXIDANTS PRE-CHORUS IS A VERY POWERFUL OFTEN AND AT OUR DISPOSAL, UH, SINCE IT'S ALREADY PART OF OUR PROCESS FOR DISINFECTION, ANOTHER POTENTIAL OXIDANT, UH, IS SONIAN PERMITTING.
IT'S WIDELY USED IN WATER TREATMENT AND WE'RE FITTING, UH, EXISTING CHEMICAL FEED SYSTEMS TO ENABLE US TO IT'S AN EFFORT TO FEED HER MEGAN, A THAT BECOMES NECESSARY.
THIS WILL GIVE US ANOTHER TREATMENT TOOL TO RESPOND TO CHANGES IN RAW WATER QUALITY.
UH, WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE ALSO WORKING TOWARD ESTABLISHING CONTRACTS.
SO BEYOND THE LOOKOUT FOR AN AGENDA ITEM IN THE FUTURE,
[01:25:01]
UM, UH, WITH A, UH, SODIUM FOR MAGNET SPIRE, UH, SO OUR VALUES POWERED ACTIVATED CARBON HAVE ALSO INCLUDED SOME BENCH TESTING TO VALIDATE PRELIMINARY GOALS, RIGHT? I FINALLY, WE'RE PURSUING A CONTRACT WITH A CONSULTING FIRM TO EVALUATE OUR WORK THUS FAR, AND TO GAIN A BROADER PERSPECTIVE FROM CONSULTANTS WHO WHO'VE WORKED WITH OTHER FACILITIES, UH, THROUGH SIMILAR ISSUES.AND WE'LL USE THIS INFORMATION TO FURTHER REFINE OUR TREATMENT RESPONSE OF WORK THAT, UH, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS EVER.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT I, I NOTICED THE VICE HERE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THAT'S A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN ANYTHING THAT I'VE SEEN OR KNOW ABOUT.
I DID HAVE A QUICK, QUICK QUESTION.
I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT IT WAS A LITTLE, UM, ECHOEY ON MY SIDE THE LISA METHOD.
DID YOU SAY THAT IT'S SAME DAY OR 10 DAY? SAME DAY.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS HOPING AND THOUGHT.
UM, AND THEN WHAT IS THE TIMING ON KIND OF, YOU SEE A PLAN KIND OF BEING PUT INTO PLACE? I MEAN, I GUESS IT, YEAH, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS KIND OF HAVING, BEING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ENGAGING THE CONSULTANT AND THE RESEARCH AND ALL OF THAT, AND SORT OF, KIND OF HAVING A PLAN IN PLACE TO FOLLOW? WELL, WE, UH, OBVIOUSLY, UH, IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO WORK THROUGH THAT WITH THE CONSULTANT, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD IMMEDIATELY WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, THE RESOURCES WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ALREADY EQUIPPED WITH OUR POWDERED ACTIVATED CARBON FREE FLOORING, UH, BETTER, UH, BETTER ANALYSIS WITH CYTOTOXICS WITH, UH, ALL THESE THINGS, BUT AT LEAST WE GOT THOSE THINGS AND, AND, AND INVESTIGATED AND, UH, AND THE SODIUM FORMING AN OPTION ON OUR OWN.
WELL, SO WE'RE, WE'RE JUST GATHERING THE TOOLS THAT WE'LL NEED.
WE WANT TO GATHER AS MANY TOOLS AS WE'RE PUTTING THAT ARE AT, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE AT OUR DISPOSAL QUICKLY AND EASILY.
AND THEN, UH, UH, ENGAGING WITH THIS CONSULTING TEAM WE'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS, RIGHT.
AND, UH, WE'LL BE WORKING ON THAT IN THE COMING MONTHS AND WE HOPE TO HAVE A LINE OUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA LAY EVERYTHING ON THE TABLE AND, AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE, EVERYTHING THAT WE KNOW AND HAVE THEM REVIEW THAT AND THEN BEER HEAR THEIR TAKE ON IT AND WHAT THEY BRING, UH, FROM THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER UTILITIES.
AND, UH, THAT WE'D EXPECT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE OUR STRATEGY, WELL, REFINE OUR STRATEGY OVER THE, OVER THE NEXT SIX TO 12 MONTHS.
AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS, I MAY RECOMMEND THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE, UH, TAKE LONGER LIKE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THAT'LL BE A LONG THING, BUT OF COURSE, WHAT WE'RE AFTER IS THE THINGS THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT QUICKLY AND, AND, UH, BE ABLE TO RESPOND QUICKLY AND MAKE THE CHANGES NECESSARY CHANGES AS SOON AS WE CAN.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING UPDATES AS WE GET FURTHER ALONG.
I APPRECIATE THIS RATHER COMPREHENSIVE, UH, PRESENTATION, AND I'D LIKE TO OFFER MY OWN OBSERVATIONS, WHICH MAY NOT BE COMPLETELY EQUAL WITH WHAT WAS SAID.
UM, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT THE CURRENT SAMPLING PROGRAM IS NOT ADEQUATE.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PULLING A SAMPLE EVERY TWO WEEKS AND IT TAKES 10 DAYS TO GET THE SAMPLE BACK.
YOU COULD HAVE THE TOXIN COMING INTO THE PLANT FOR THREE WEEKS, UH, AND NOT KNOW IT TRUE.
WE DON'T HAVE THE RESULTS THAT QUICKLY IT'S SO MY QUESTION TO YOU WOULD BE WHY NOT, UH, TO DAILY SAMPLING.
THAT'S WHAT I, WELL, I CAN CERTAINLY BE DONE, BUT IT'S, UH, IF WE DID DAILY SAMPLING WITH A 24 HOUR TERM, UH, SIX SAMPLES, THAT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, A SAMPLE RAW IN
[01:30:01]
EACH PLANT.UH, SO THAT MAKES A TOTAL OF SIX SAMPLES WITH A 24 HOUR TURNAROUND.
THAT'D BE $16,000 SAMPLING ROUND.
UH, AND I GUESS THE OTHER THING IS WE'RE NOT SEEING OUR ALGAE COUNT.
ALGAE COUNTS ARE ON THE ORDER OF 100, UH, AND, AND THE BIGGEST THREAT TO PLANKTONIC IS DOWN.
UH, AND WE'RE NOT SEEING EVIDENCE OF THAT RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'RE PREPARED TO WORK PREPARED TO MAKE CHANGES TO OUR MONITORING BASED ON, BASED ON THOSE RESULTS.
UM, AND OUR HISTORY SHOWS THAT, UH, THESE PLANKTONIC EVENTS, LIKE I SAID, THEY DON'T HAPPEN.
THEY TAKE TIME TO TALK AND WE'RE WATCHING, YOU KNOW, THOSE RESULTS.
UM, SO, UH, BRIAN, I, I STAND BY MY COMMENT.
I, UH, PERSONALLY, UH, DON'T DO NOT THINK WHEN IT COMES TO SORT OF THING THAT, THAT THE COST IS AN ISSUE, BUT THAT CERTAINLY THE WATER DEPARTMENTS, LET ME SAY ONE OTHER THING THAT I UNDERSTOOD, AND I'VE BEEN ON SEVERAL OF THESE WEBINARS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE ALGAE PRESENCE OR THE TOP 10 TO BE IN THE WATER COLUMN.
ISN'T THAT TRUE? WE DISCOVER THAT IN ONE OF THE LAKES HERE WHERE THEY TOOK A WATER SAMPLE AND FOUND THE TOXIN, AND THERE WAS NO LG ANYWHERE NEAR YES, YOU CAN.
BUT, UH, SO MY POINT BEING, IF THAT'S TRUE THAN JUST LOOKING FOR THE ALGAE AND SAYING, THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO TRIGGER A TEST, IT TAKES THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK WELL.
WE'VE GOT, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE BEEN TAKING, WE'VE BEEN TAKING SAMPLES, UH, FOR A LOT, AND IT TAKES TIME TO DEVELOP, UH, THESE, THESE, THESE TAKE THESE THINGS TAKE TIME, UH, AND WE'RE LOOKING, AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANY KIND OF EVIDENCE THAT IF THESE THINGS ARE ACCUMULATING AND THE
UM, YOU KNOW, W WITH REFERENCE, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER MORIARTY, I BELIEVE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM THE FEBRUARY EVENT, UM, WHEN LCRA RESPONDED TO, UH, THE DOG THAT HAD DIED, UH, WHEN THEY WENT OUT SAMPLING AND FOUND TRACE AMOUNTS IN THE WATER, IS THAT CORRECT? YEP.
SO, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY WHEN THESE TOXINS ARE RELEASED INTO THE WATER, IT'S AFTER THE DIE OFF OF THE ALGAE.
SO BECAUSE THEY, NO ONE HAD BEEN SAMPLING FOR ALGAE, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE ALGAE WAS THERE PRIOR TO THE DOG DESK, AND THEN WITH THE SENESCENCE IS WHEN THE TOXINS WERE RELEASED.
SO BY, UH, LOOKING AT THE ABUNDANCE OF THE ALGAE, IT IS A FORECAST FOR WHEN YOU COULD POSSIBLY EXPECT TO SEE THE TOXINS, ENTER THE WATER COLUMN.
CAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE ALGAE THERE FIRST, THIS IS THIS CHICKEN AND EGG.
WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHICH ONE COMES FIRST.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE ALLERGY THERE, BUT SINCE NO ONE IS LOOKING FOR IT, THEY RESPONDED, FOUND THE TOXINS.
UM, AND, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WENT FROM THERE.
I GUESS I STAND BY MY POINT THOUGH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SEE THE ALGAE TO HAVE THE TOXIN AND THE WATER TOP.
UH, LET ME MAKE ANOTHER POINT.
I BELIEVE TWO OF THESE TOXINS ARE REGULATED BY EPA, UH, AT WHAT'S IT'S WHAT KNOWN AS AN ADVISORY LEVEL, THE TOXIN THAT PENETRATED THE WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA PLANT, UH, BROKE THAT LIMIT.
WELL, BUT A HEALTH ADVISORY IS NOT AN ENFORCEABLE REGULATION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IT'S WHEN YOU BREAK DOWN, THAT'S TELLING YOU, YOU GOT A NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, I BELIEVE THAT REGULATORS WILL BE FIXING TO HAVE A LOT MORE, UH, LEVELS ON THIS STUFF COMING IN.
SO I THINK THERE ARE REGULATORY GUIDELINES ON THESE TOXICS THAT, UH, CLEARLY IN WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, UH, THEY, THEY BROKE THERE AND THEY, THEY, THEY GAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY TO PEOPLE WITH VARIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS TOXIN HAS BEEN GOOD FOR THEM.
UM, I THINK IN GENERAL, THE CITY IS UNDERPLAYING THIS, GREG, IF YOU'RE TALKING, GREG, ARE YOU TALKING? CAUSE YOU'RE MUTED? WELL, SO LET ME, LET ME COMMENT ON, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SAID.
SO WHEN I TALKED ABOUT OUR COMMUNICATIONS MATERIALS, ALL THOSE COMMUNICATION MATERIALS ARE PREPARED AROUND THOSE HEALTH ADVISORY LEVEL, BUT THE STUFF THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH ON SO MANY DRAFTS FOR MOPS AND MICROSYSTEM, UH, WAS DEFINITELY UTILIZE THOSE MATERIALS AND OUR FOLKS OUT IN THE, WITH CINDY, BOTH CLASSES.
[01:35:01]
GOOD THAT THAT'S READY.UM, BUT WHERE I WAS GOING, AND I'VE SAID THIS TO THE CITY BEFORE, I THINK WE'RE UNDERPLAYING THIS PROBLEM.
ONE THING I WAS INTERESTED TO LEARN RECENTLY IS, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY LAKES ACTUALLY HAVE THIS TOXIC AROUND THE STATE OF TEXAS? IT'S NOWHERE ELSE IT'S IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
WE'RE THE ONLY ONES WITH THE TOXIN.
AND MY QUESTION IS WHAT ARE ALL THESE OTHER WATER TREATMENT PLANTS THAT ARE DIPPING INTO THESE LAKES? ARE THEY DOING ANY KIND OF SAMPLING AT ALL? IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE ONLY ONE SAMPLING BECAUSE THERE'S WATER PLANTS ALL OVER THE PLACE THAT COULD BE PULLING STUFF IN AND NOT EVEN BE AWARE OF IT.
UM, MY NEXT QUESTION IS ALL THE SAMPLING RESULTS AND KNOW THE WATER TO PROTECTION POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
BUT THE AUSTIN WATER DEPARTMENT, YOU PUT YOURS ON THEIR WEBSITE OR SOMEONE'S WEBSITE.
DO I GET TO SEE THOSE RESULTS? CAN YOU HEAR ME? AM I UN-MUTED? YEAH, WE CAN HEAR YOU BETTER.
BUT NO, WE DON'T POST OUR RESULTS CURRENTLY.
IS THERE A REASON, UH, WE, WE, WE, NOT PARTICULARLY, I MEAN, WE JUST DON'T HAVE A, UH, AN AREA THAT WE POST THAT KIND OF RESULT, BUT THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING.
DO YOU PUT IT ON THE WATERSHED PROTECTION WEBSITE, MAKE IT EASILY TO CHECK? YEAH.
AS BRIAN INDICATED, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING BETWEEN LCRA, WATERSHED, HEALTH AND OTHERS AND, UH, UH, AND COMMUNICATING RESULTS, UH, PUBLICLY IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS, IS SOMETHING WE WILL WORK FOR IT.
AND, AND I JUST, I WANT TO COMMENT, I DON'T WANT, UM, ANY KIND OF SENSE THAT, BECAUSE THIS ISN'T AN EPA, UM, UH, UH, REGULATED, UH, THAT WE'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS OR THAT WE WOULD NOT ISSUE ADVISORIES OR MONITOR THESE BECAUSE IT'S, UH, IT'S STILL IN AN UNREGULATED CONTAMINANT.
WE HAVE, UH, THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE ORGANIZATION, UH, THE DIRECTOR ASSISTANT DIRECTORS AND ALL OF OUR MANAGERS AND ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS, UH, WITH WATERSHED AND LCRA ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING STEPS LIKE THE FLOW MONITORING EQUIPMENT, THE ELIZA METHOD, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GOOD HISTORY HERE OF MANAGING AND IMPROVING THIS, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND WE HAVE A PLAN AND WE'RE GOING TO BE ENHANCING THE PLAN.
I DON'T WANT IN ANY WAY TO COMMUNICATE THAT WE'RE AT GROUND ZERO WITH REGARDS TO THIS RISK.
I'M CERTAINLY NOT SAYING THAT, BUT LET ME FINISH MY QUESTIONS.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE ALL THESE TESTING, LCRA, SAUCED, AND WATER PLUS WATERSHED PROTECTION ON ONE WEBSITE.
AND, UH, IF I DON'T KNOW WHY WE COULDN'T DO THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING THAT I EXPLAINED ABOUT IS I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
THE FIRST DOG THAT DIED AT REDBUD ISLAND, I LIVE VERY CLOSE TO THERE, A 35 POUND DOG, AND IT DIED IN 45 MINUTES FROM INGESTION.
BRENT? UH, THAT'S THAT'S PROBABLY RIGHT.
AND MY QUESTION TO THE CITY IS WHY DON'T WE POST SIGNS FOR KIDS BECAUSE THERE'S FUNNY, THIRTY-FIVE POUND KIDS THAT COULD GET WRAPPED UP IN THIS STUFF.
AND WHAT SCARES THE HELL OUT OF ME IS WHEN I DRIVE AROUND DOWNTOWN LAWSON IN THE SUMMER.
AND I SEE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE SWIMMING IN THESE LIGHTS WITH THIS ALGAE, I THINK THE CITY IS, IS, UH, IS, SHOULD, SHOULD POST THAT.
THERE'S A HEALTH TESTING AT LEAST TO CHILDREN, BABY, TO EVERYBODY I'VE SERVED WHEN WOULD HELP.
BUT ANYWAYS, I'VE SAID THAT BEFORE, UM, GOING BACK TO YOUR TREATMENT, YOU GUYS QUICKLY AGREE WITH POWDERED ACTIVATED CARBON AND THE OXIDATION PROCESS.
UM, YOU TYPICALLY DO A C FOR TASTE AND ODOR ISSUES.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE HISTORICALLY.
AND SO TYPICALLY WE'RE NOT USING IT NOW, OR, UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY FEEDING, POWDERED EXCAVATED PARVIN UH, UH, WELL, BECAUSE OF THE, BECAUSE OF THE ZEBRA MUSSELS, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PATIENT INVOLVED WITH THE BLOOPER MUSCLES.
SO WE HAVE A BASELINE ABOUT POWDERED ACTIVATED CARBON BEING.
SO DO YOU FEEL 365 DAYS A YEAR? WE HAVE, I CAN'T REMEMBER.
UM, WE HAVE, WE HAVE BEEN FEEDING IT FOR, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY STARTED NINE MONTHS OR MORE AGO, UH, FEEDING IT CONTINUOUSLY.
I ACTUALLY LIKED THAT FRANKLY.
[01:40:01]
CAUSE I WAS GOING TO GET TO THE POINT.IT MAY BE AS A PREVENTATIVE THAT WHEN WE GET INTO THE WARM WEATHER, OF COURSE, WE FOUND THIS TOXIN IN FEBRUARY.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS IN THE WARM WEATHER RULE, BUT MAYBE, MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER A CONTINUOUS TREATMENT PROCESS, WHICH YOU'RE ALREADY DOING.
I THINK WE'RE, I'M SEEING THIS THING.
I THINK THIS PROBLEM IS GOING TO GET NOTHING BUT WORSE.
UH, I THINK NOW WE'VE HAD ALL THE RAIN THIS YEAR, SHE BROKEN UP, BUT I THINK WHEN THE RAIN STOPS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WORST PROBLEM.
UM, AND I THINK WE'RE WHERE WE GOTTA BE DRIVING.
THIS ISSUE IS TO A, UH, UH, A REGIONAL SELECTION AND WHICH TO GET THE LCR, WE SHOULD GET THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE SHOULD GET ALL THESE LITTLE WATER AND, UH, AND, AND WORK ON THIS PROBLEM AND NOT JUST BE, YOU KNOW, WILLING TO ACCEPT THAT OUR LAKE HAS GOT TO HAVE STUFF IN IT.
MAYBE WE CAN JUST FOR A SOLUTION.
I SAT IN ON A WEBINAR THE OTHER DAY WHERE SOMEBODY HAS GONE AROUND AND FIXED A FEW OF THESE LEGS AND HAD THESE PROBLEMS. AND MAYBE WE'VE GOT TO GO THAT DIRECTION ANYWAYS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
BRENT BALLENGER CAN PROBABLY ELABORATE ON SOME OF THE, UH, THE, THE, UH, UH, PILOTS THAT THEY'RE EVALUATING.
UH, WAS THERE A, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, I I'D LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IN THOSE WEBINARS, UH, WHAT THE, UH, TYPES OF, OF LAKES WERE THAT WERE TREATED, UM, I'VE, I'VE HEARD OF SOME OF THESE EXAMPLES FROM OUT WEST AND, AND OTHER PLACES.
THEY TEND TO BE A FAIRLY SMALL, UM, AND, UH, IN, IN ACTUAL SIZE OR WATERSHED AREAS ARE GENERALLY PRETTY SMALL.
AND WHEN THEY DO THE TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT MITIGATION, USUALLY OF NUTRIENTS WITHIN THE SYSTEM, THAT'S, UH, GOES ALONG WITH, UH, LARGE SCALE WATERSHED PROTECTION MEASURES TO REDUCE, UH, SEDIMENT AND NUTRIENT INFLOWS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WHICH KIND OF BRINGS, UH, THE CHALLENGE FOR, FOR THIS REGION.
UH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY PRIOR TO FEBRUARY, THE, THE TOXINS AND THE EFFECTS WERE, WERE RESTRICTED TO LADY BIRD LAKE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, UH, UH, PURSUED AND ARE PURSUING AND APPLYING A MITIGATION PROJECT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT IF WE CAN SUPPRESS, UM, THE AMOUNT OF NUTRIENTS THAT ARE AROUND THAT AREA TO SEE IF WE CAN AFFECT, UM, AND HOW THAT'S GOING, DR.
BRENT, HOW THE PHOSPHORUS SEQUESTERING PROCESS IS GOING.
UH, WE'VE DONE OUR FIRST TREATMENT, UM, WAITING FOR, UH, FOR DATA TO COME IN, TO LOOK AT THE POST-TREATMENT EFFECTS.
UH, WE HAVE OUR SECOND TREATMENT, UH, SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO AGAIN, WHEN WE WERE DESIGNING THIS, THIS WAS LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE DO FOR LADY BIRD LAKE, WHICH IS A FAIRLY SMALL SYSTEM.
UM, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT REGIONALLY WHILE I AGREE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, COLLABORATIVE, LARGE SCALE APPROACHES ARE NEEDED.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE AT THE WATERSHED SCALE.
IF IT'S LAND USE, LAND MANAGEMENT, UH, BUYING WATERSHED PROTECTION LANDS, ET CETERA.
UM, IT, IT, IT'S A, IT'S A VERY LARGE TASK, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR GROUPS ARE ALL IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE EXPANDING OUR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
WE'RE REACHING OUT TO, UH, NONPROFITS, NGOS, ET CETERA, TO DO THIS.
UM, BUT THE, THE SCOPE AND SCALE, I MEAN, THERE'S A REASON THAT LAKE ERIE HASN'T BEEN FIXED YET.
THERE'S A REASON THAT LAKE OKEECHOBEE HASN'T BEEN FIXED YET, WHICH FEEDS INTO WEST PALM BEACH.
UM, YOU KNOW, TH THESE ARE CHALLENGES AND, AND THERE'S A LOT OF THESE MITIGATION STRATEGIES THAT ARE BEING TESTED ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE, BUT WITHOUT CHANGES IN YOUR, UH, LAND USE, UM, YOU'RE JUST RUNNING A PLACE AND IT'S HARD TO PUSH THE SYSTEM BACK TO WHERE YOU WANT IT, BUT I, I WOULD ADD, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW SOME OF THE PREVENTATIVE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR WATERSHED ONE, UH, THE, THE HEIGHTENED LAKE SMITH CHARGE BAND, UH, DOES NOT ALLOW WASTEWATER NUTRIENTS INTO THE HIGHLAND LAKES FROM NUTRIENT AUNTS.
UH, AND THAT IS, UH, IS A FIERCELY DEFENDED BY AUSTIN WATER AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN AT ALL LEVELS.
AND SO THAT'S, I THINK A REAL POSITIVE FROM A NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE, IN ADDITION, OUR WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS AND OTHER LAND PURCHASES AND STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE EVALUATING, UH, THAT'LL BE A PART OF OUR NEXT WATER FORWARD UPDATE IS SOME OF THOSE STRATEGIES WHERE WE MIGHT EXPAND OUR REACH IN THE WATERSHED TO BETTER PROTECT FROM, UH, FROM, UH, ADDITIONAL NUTRIENT RISK.
AND SO I THINK THERE ARE SOME, SOME IMPORTANT ACTIVITIES IN PLACE AND UNDERWAY IN THAT REGARD.
[01:45:01]
YOU HAD ANY MORE QUESTIONS, RIGHT? I HAVE A QUESTION, JENNIFER.UM, BRIAN, COULD YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE INSTRUMENTS THAT WE APPROVE THE DAY, THE, THE, UM, HELLO? HELLO? CAN THAT TAKE PICTURES OF THE, AND THEN COMPARES IT TO A FEATURE? IS THAT AN IMPROVED METHOD OR IS THAT GOING TO HELP AT ALL IN THIS LIST, IDENTIFYING THIS TYPE OF BACTERIA? YEAH, SO, BUT IT TAKES PICTURES OF EVERY PARTICLE THAT PASSES THROUGH IT, AND THEN IT HAS A LIBRARY OF PHOTOS THAT IT IMPAIRS AGAIN, PILE OR CAMP, OR, UH, ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE, ALL OF EACH TYPE OF PART.
YOU GET THOSE NUMBERS BACK AGAIN FOR SEVERAL HOURS.
SO THAT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION, NOT A LOT OF TIME INVESTED, AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT GOING TO BE EXACTLY THE SAME.
IT'S NOT GOING TO GENERATE THE EXACT SAME RESULTS AS A, UH, AS OUR CURRENT ALGEBRA ACCOUNT.
BUT, UH, I THINK ACTUALLY IT WILL GIVE MORE INFORMATION CAUSE IT'LL BE ABLE TO DELINEATE OR DETAILS OR DIFFERENT FACTS OF ARTICLES.
SO I THINK IT'S A VERY POWERFUL SKILL.
UH, THIS TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN AROUND 16 YEARS, UM, SEVERAL UTILITIES IN TEXAS, UH, AROUND THE SENSORS.
SO, UM, JUST THE EFFICIENCY WITH TIME EFFICIENCY OF IT AND THE, UH, THE CAPABILITIES AND ADS I THINK ARE GOING TO BE VERY BAD.
WHEN DO YOU EXPECT TO GET THAT INSTRUMENT? SO WE HAVE, SO WE HAVE TO GO ON TO COUNCIL AND THEN, UH, WE, I, I HOPE TO HAVE IT, UH, IN THE FALL AND THEN WE'LL GET TRAINED ON IT AND WE'LL HAVE IT UP AND RUNNING, UH, PROBABLY SOMETIME THIS FALL.
THAT SOUNDS, THAT SOUNDS PROMISING.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER GOT ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? IF NOT, THANK YOU.
WELL, WE'LL MOVE FOR THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
[F. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BUDGET COMMITTEE, WHICH I'M TASTING OR REPORT OR TO COME IN, AND THEN I'M, WHAT'S IN THAT THE DETAIL ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.SO I'LL GET COMMISSIONER SCOTT, ANY ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED ON THE UPCOMING AGENDA CHAIR.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER MICHELLE.
DID WE WANT TO REVISIT THE QUESTION YOU POSED AT THE START OF OUR MEETING ABOUT IN-PERSON OR VIRTUAL, UH, FOR THE NEXT MEETING? WELL, WE ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS RIGHT NOW.
WE GOT 12 MINUTES TO MAKE DECISIONS THIS AFTERNOON.
SO WE, SOME, SOME WAY WE WILL ASK FOR PRESENTATION ON WHAT THE ROLES, ISSUES OF PRESENTATION AND THE COMMISSIONER.
IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS, LET ME, SHE WANT TO BE, UH, TO BE, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
I CAN, UH, HELP TO ME OR TALK TO THE STAFF AND THE FINE IS SECOND.
UH CO-SPONSOR AND THEN WE'LL PUT IT ON IT HONESTLY, TO SAY THAT DISCUSSION WITH YOU, HE HAD ABOUT THE 12 YEAR, UH, INCREASE IN LOSS WATER, WHICH I DON'T THINK THAT HAS TO BE NEXT MONTH, BUT WHEN, WHEN THE CITY IS PREPARED IS FINE.
WELL, WE'LL CHECK WITH YOUR SCHEDULE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE AUGUST MEETING.
FIRST QUESTION IS WE NEED YOUR INPUT.
WE'LL DECIDE IF WE WENT TO THE VIDEO OR WE WANT TO DO IN-PERSON MEETING THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION.
ANY, ANY SPECIFIC OPINION, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED A GOOD PODIUM IN ORDER TO MAKE DECISIONS ON THE UPCOMING BUDGET AND OTHER ISSUES FOR ANY PERSON.
CAN YOU REMIND ME WHEN THE NEXT MEETING IS THIS GOOD TO BE?
[01:50:01]
NOPE.WEDNESDAY, AND IT CAN BE FIVE
I MEAN
ANY ANYONE WOULDN'T EXPRESS YOUR OPINION? THIS IS COMMISSIONER PEN.
I'M OPEN TO EITHER, BUT I THINK IF THERE ARE, IF IT'S AUSTIN WATER BACK IN THE FACILITY, ARE WE HAVING 30 PEOPLE DRIVE TO THE FACILITY THAT WOULDN'T BE THERE? OTHERWISE, I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THIS MAKES THE CHALLENGE LOGISTICALLY FOR OTHERS IS FRANCA.
I NEED YOU TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
WE CAN MEET IN PERSON AND HAVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE NEED TO ATTEND AND CONDUCT A MEETING.
NORMALLY I WOULD SAY PREFERRED IN PERSON, BUT I AM NOT GOING TO BE AVAILABLE AT THE NEXT MEETING.
I'M HAPPY TO DO WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE WANTS TO DO.
CONCERN FISHER HAD TO LEAVE, UM, A FEW MINUTES AGO AND HE DIDN'T INDICATE THAT HE HAD A PREFERENCE.
DO YOU WANT TO MEET A BIT, MAKE EFFECTIVE DECISION ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSION? UH, GOOD SPRINT.
GOT, DO YOU HAVE ANY PREFERREDS THE STUFF OUT? UM, WELL, IT IS, IT IS AT THE COMMISSION'S PREFERENCE, BUT I WILL SAY IF IT HELPS, UM, WITH THE DECISION-MAKING THAT THERE'S MORE FLEXIBILITY AND AVAILABILITY IF IT IS IN PERSON, UH, BECAUSE THE RESOURCES AND AVAILABILITY FOR VIDEO IS VERY LIMITED.
SO WE AREN'T GUARANTEED THE DATE OR THE TIME FOR AUGUST 4TH BY VIDEO, BUT WE CAN CONFIRM THE LOCATION AND THE DATE IN PERSON WE RECOMMEND IN PERSON.
WE'LL MEET IN PERSON AND THIS, UH, COMMISSIONER, THE, ANY COMMISSIONER THAT ANY OBJECTION IN, I'M SORRY, MY CHAIR, THAT YOU CANNOT ATTEND.
HOPEFULLY YOU CAN JOIN US AND THE PORTAL APP AND OKAY.
IF WE MEET IN PERSON, DO WE NEED TO WEAR MASKS? NO CURRENT GUIDANCE.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WEAR A MASK.
YOU, IF YOU CHOOSE TO, YOU CAN.
OF COURSE, BUT IT'S NOT REQUIRED.
NOW THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS WE WANT ME IT'S FIVE 30 OR SIX.
O'CLOCK ANY OPEN MEETING AND INPUT CHAIR.
I WANT YOU TO PAY HIM WHAT ARE SAYING.
MICHELLE, EITHER TIME WORKS FOR ME.
COMMISSION TO DATA EITHER TIME WORKS.
LET'S MAKE IT SIX O'CLOCK BECAUSE I HAD MY LBC.
I NEEDED LIKE THREE O'CLOCK IN ORDER TO GET.
SO THAT'S THAT SOLID APPRECIATION
[01:55:01]
IS THAT WE'LL MEET AUGUST BEFORE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, SIX O'CLOCK AT WALNUT CREEK AND THE POCKET WOULDN'T BE AVAILABLE.IF WE CAN REBUILD THE SECURITY, THEY WILL OPEN THE GATE FOR YOU.
AND THE FOLLOW UP, UH, THE SEPTEMBER'S MEETING, WE DON'T KNOW BECAUSE THEY DO THE REMODELING, MAYBE DIFFERENT LOCATION.
WE JUST KIND OF LIKE CEMENT ON ONES ONCE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS ON THE AGENDA? IF NOT, THEN THE MEETING WILL JUROR AT THREE ON THE SIXTH.