[15. Staff briefing on Water Forward updates]
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CALLING[00:16:59]
PURPLE PIPE DAY.SO, UM, IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE THE TIME TO COME JOIN US AT COUNCIL AND WEAR PURPLE, THAT WOULD BE SUPER.
SO WE'LL START WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A, UM, OVERVIEW OF WATER FORWARD JUST TO, JUST TO SET THESE REUSE STRATEGIES IN CONTEXT.
UH, WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT THE SPECIFIC REUSE STRATEGIES ARE.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN OUR CON OUR COMMUNITY IS HAVING A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AROUND AFFORDABILITY AND, UH, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO AUSTIN WATER AS WELL, NOT JUST, UM, AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IT IS, WHICH WE ARE.
AND SO IT'S THE LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR COMMUNITY HAS TO INCLUDE AFFORDABILITY, UM, BUT ALSO FOR OUR OWN EMPLOYEES.
SO WE WE'RE A STAKEHOLDER IN THE AFFORDABILITY DISCUSSION AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT, WE'LL, WE'LL WRAP UP WITH THE SUMMARY OF THOSE KEY ACTIVITIES THAT ARE COMING UP IN 2024.
SO, WATER FORWARD IS OUR 100 YEAR INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES PLAN.
IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN 2018.
IT HAS A NUMBER OF DIVERSE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, AND IT'S INTENDED TO BE ADAPTIVE TO GROWTH, DROUGHT, AND CLIMATE CHANGE WITH THE GOALS OF SUSTAINABILITY, RESILIENCY, EQUITY, AND AFFORDABILITY.
UM, AND YOU HAVE A, A HANDOUT, UM, OF A PLACE MAT THAT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF, OF WHAT ALL THESE STRATEGIES ARE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE USING EVERY TOOL IN OUR TOOLBOX, UM, TO MOVE WA UH, AWESOME WATER IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN TOWARD A, A RELIABLE FUTURE WATER, UM, UH, SUPPLY.
SO, A QUICK OVERVIEW, UM, OF, OF OUR WATER.
UM, AUSTIN GETS ALL OF OUR DRINKING WATER FROM THE HIGHLAND LAKES.
UM, WE HAVE TREATMENT PLANTS THAT TAKE WATER OUT OF LAKES, AUSTIN AND TRAVIS.
UM, BETWEEN OUR VERY SENIOR RUN OF RIVER RIGHTS AND OUR STORED WATER CONTRACTS WITH THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY, UM, WE HAVE RIGHTS UP TO 325,000 ACRE FEET PER YEAR.
UM, WE, IN 1999, WE HAD A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT HAVING SUFFICIENT, UH, WATER SUPPLY FOR THE FUTURE.
WE NEGOTIATED A CONTRACT WITH LCRA, UH, FOR WHICH WE PAID A RESERVATION FEE UPFRONT OF $100 MILLION.
UM, AND AT THE POINT WHERE OUR WATER USE EXCEEDS 201,000 ACRE FEET PER YEAR TO CONSECUTIVE YEARS, WE WILL BEGIN TO PAY, UH, ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS ANNUALLY.
UM, AND THE ESTIMATE OF WHAT THOSE PAYMENTS ARE IN THE, YOU KNOW, I THINK IN ROUND NUMBERS, YOU CAN THINK OF IT AS BEING ABOUT $10 MILLION A YEAR.
UM, NOW WHEN WE EXECUTED THAT CONTRACT, WE THOUGHT WE WOULD REACH THAT TRIGGER SOMETIME BETWEEN
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2015 AND 2020, AND WE HAVE NOT REACHED IT YET.AND SO THAT IS A REAL TESTAMENT TO CONSERVATION, UM, AND TO OUR CUSTOMERS REALLY LEANING INTO CONSERVATION AND THE WAYS IN WHICH WE'VE LOWERED OUR PER CAPITA WATER USE.
UM, AND, UH, REALLY LEANING INTO RECLAIMED WATER IS THE NEXT STEP ON THAT JOURNEY.
UM, AND, AND EVERY YEAR THAT WE DELAY THAT CONTRACT IS COST SAVINGS TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND YOU'LL NEED TO CLICK THROUGH TWICE, SO THE WATER FORWARD GUIDING PRINCIPLES, UM, LISTED HERE, UH, YOU KNOW, RESILIENCY, INCLUSIVE, UH, APPROACH WITH OUR COMMUNITY VALUES, HAVING A NUMBER OF DIVERSE STRATEGIES SO THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF TOOLS IN OUR TOOLBOX.
UM, OBVIOUSLY PROTECTING THE COLORADO RIVER IS A REALLY KEY ONE.
UM, SO WE UPDATE THIS PLAN ON ROUGHLY A FIVE YEAR CYCLE, AND OUR UPDATED PLAN, UM, WILL BE COMING FORWARD TO COUNCIL IN NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
AND IF THESE GUIDING PRINCIPLES LOOK FAMILIAR, UM, THEY ARE A PIECE WITH, UM, WITH OTHER CITY EFFORTS TOWARD, UM, STRATEGIC PLANNING.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE CLIMATE AND EQUITY PLAN, STRATEGIC MOBILITY, WATERSHED PROTECTION, STRATEGIC PLAN CALLED RAIN TO RIVER, UM, THE ZERO WASTE PLAN AT AUSTIN.
RESOURCE RECOVERY, AE STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, ALL OF THESE PLANS ARE FOUNDED ON THE THREE LEGGED STOOL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, CLIMATE EQUITY, AFFORDABILITY, AND RELIABILITY AND RESILIENCY.
SO WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS ACROSS THE CITY, UM, TO HAVE A, A COMPREHENSIVE AND COLLABORATIVE PLANNING PROCESS.
AND WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING WITH, WITH WATER FORWARD IS PLANNING FOR UNCERTAINTY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE POPULATION WILL LOOK LIKE IN AUSTIN IN A HUNDRED YEARS, BUT WE KNOW IT'S GONNA BE GOING UP.
UM, CLIMATE CHANGE IS HERE NOW, UH, AND, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHY WE, UM, FOCUS SO MUCH ON ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES.
AND WHAT THAT UNCERTAINTY LOOKS LIKE FOR OUR WATER SUPPLY CAN REALLY BE, UM, SEEN AT A GLANCE IN THIS, UH, GRAPH OF WATER STORAGE VOLUMES IN LAKES, BUCHANAN AND TRAVIS SINCE THE LAKES WERE CONSTRUCTED.
SO THIS IS THE FULL, UH, HISTORY OF THE LAKES.
AND YOU, YOU MAY KNOW AS PEOPLE IN THE, IN THE WATER BUSINESS AND IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THE DROUGHT OF THE FIFTIES, UH, WAS THE DROUGHT OF RECORD FOR A VERY, FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, THAT'S THAT DEEP DIP ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE.
UM, UH, IT IS, IT IS PART OF THE LORE OF, OF AUSTIN AND OF WATER SUPPLY IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
UM, AND THEN LOOK AT THE DROUGHT OF 2008 TO 2016.
UH, IT IS OUR NEW DROUGHT OF RECORD.
UM, AND SO THIS IS THE KIND OF UNCERTAINTY THAT WE ARE PLANNING FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES A, FOR A LONG TIME IN BETWEEN THOSE TWO DROUGHTS, WE HAD A PRETTY STABLE AND PREDICTABLE WATER SUPPLY.
UM, BUT, UH, WE, WE NEED TO BE PLANNING FOR HOW WE BRIDGE THOSE, UM, THOSE TIMES OF DEEP DROUGHT.
SO OUR WATER FORWARD STRATEGIES HAVE, UM, WE, WE'VE PUT THEM IN FOUR MAIN BUCKETS.
UM, I'M GONNA GO FROM RIGHT TO LEFT ON, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE STATE WATER PLANNING PROCESS.
UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR COLLABORATION ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY.
AND THOSE ARE ALL VERY ACTIVE PARTNERSHIPS, UM, THAT WE, UH, THAT WE, UM, INVEST IN.
AND, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE BACK OF YOUR PLACE MAT, YOU'LL SEE ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN 2024.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT PARTNERSHIPS COLUMN IS FULL OF MEETINGS AND COLLABORATION THAT HAPPENS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UM, WE ARE ALSO, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH PROJECTS AND, UM, STRATEGIES THAT INCREASE OUR SUPPLY.
UM, AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, WE ARE, WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH CONSERVATION STRATEGIES, AND THERE ARE, UH, THINGS COMING UP THIS YEAR, BOTH ON THE SUPPLY SIDE AND THE CONSERVATION SIDE.
UM, BUT OF COURSE TODAY WE'RE REALLY HERE TO TALK ABOUT REUSE.
UM, AND REUSE IS OUR, IS OUR SWITCH HITTER.
SO IF SUPPLY, UM, IT BRINGS US STRATEGIES ON THE SUPPLY SIDE, HAVING MORE WATER CONSERVATION BRINGS US STRATEGIES ON THE DEMAND SIDE, REDUCING OUR DEMAND.
IT'S, WE'RE BRINGING, WE RECLAIMED WATER, UM, TO CUSTOMERS.
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IT'S A SUPPLY, BUT EVERY DROP OF RECLAIMED WATER THAT WE USE THAT REDUCES OUR POTABLE WATER USE, OUR DRINKING WATER USE IS, IS ALSO A CONSERVATION MEASURE.SO, UH, WE'RE REALLY LEANING INTO, UM, TO RECLAIMED WATER.
UM, AND SO LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND WE THINK, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHY RECLAIMED IS SO IMPORTANT, UM, IT, WE, WE REALIZED, UH, JUST IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS THAT IT'S ACTUALLY THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THAT EL CRA WATER DEAL.
SO LET'S LOOK BACK AT WHAT, WHAT AUSTIN LOOKED LIKE IN 1999.
AND IF, IF YOU LIVED HERE, THEN, UM, AS I DID, THIS WAS YOUR VIEW PADDLING ON TOWN LAKE.
UM, IT LOOKS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN YOUR VIEW, UH, OUT ON LADY BIRD LAKE TODAY.
UM, AND SO WE, WE HAVE A GROWING VIBRANT COMMUNITY AND HAVING OBVIOUSLY SUSTAINABLE WATER SUPPLY, UM, IS, IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO WHATEVER AUSTIN MAY LOOK LIKE 25 YEARS FROM NOW.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE VALUE OF REUSE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WATER THAT WE, UM, TREAT IN OUR DRINKING WATER PLANTS.
WE DISTRIBUTE IT TO OUR CUSTOMERS, WE COLLECT IT, TRANSPORT IT TO OUR WASTEWATER PLANTS, AND WE DISCHARGE IT BACK INTO THE COLORADO RIVER.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WATER THAT THAT FLOWS PAST US DOWN THE COLORADO RIVER, AND AS MUCH OF THAT AS WE CAN PICK UP AND TRANSPORT BACK INTO OUR, UM, TO OUR CUSTOMERS, UM, WE'RE USING THE WATER THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, AND WE ARE, UM, MEETING THE THREE LEGS OF THAT, OF THAT STOOL.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING UP TO THESE, UM, NEW REQUIREMENTS, UM, FOR A LONG TIME NOW, AND WE HAVE BEEN, UM, LEADING THE WAY.
AUSTIN WATER AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN WITH OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS HAVE INVESTED IN PROVING THAT REUSE WORKS.
UM, THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, UH, HAS, UH, FLUSHES TOILETS WITH RECLAIMED WATER.
AUSTIN, THIS BUILDING THAT WE'RE IN TODAY.
UM, THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER HAS, UM, OUR PILOT BLACK WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM THAT COLLECTS, UM, SO COLLECTS BOTH ON SITE WATER SOURCES AS WELL AS BLACKWATER AND TREATS IT AND RECYCLES IT IN THE BUILDING.
AND THEN THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER DEVELOPMENTS, UM, ACROSS THE CITY.
AND OF COURSE, THERE'S EXTENSIVE CAMPUS IRRIGATION AT OUR PARKS AND OTHER LARGE CAMPUSES THAT HAVE, THAT'S BEEN IN USE FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
SO WE'RE, WE, UM, WE ARE PROVING, WE HAVE PROVEN THAT IT WORKS AND, UM, AND SO IT'S TIME TO ROLL IT OUT MORE EXTENSIVELY IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO LET'S GET INTO A LITTLE BIT OF THE DETAILS.
SO THINGS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY DONE AS IT RELATES TO THESE REQUIREMENTS, UM, WE DEVELOPED THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK AND A PILOT INCENTIVE PROGRAM THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL, UM, IN 21.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, DEVELOPED THE INCENTIVE FOR VOLUNTARY RECLAIMED WATER CONNECTIONS.
SO WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT IS, UH, ONSITE WATER REUSE IS COLLECTING AND REUSING THE WATER, UM, YOU KNOW, RAINWATER, UH, AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSATE ON SITE, AND THEN, OR, AND OR CONNECTING TO THE CENTRALIZED RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM.
AND THEN ON THE CONSERVATION SIDE, WE ALREADY REQUIRE ALL NEW DEVELOPMENTS TO DO A WATER BENCHMARKING.
UM, AND THERE WE HAVE SOME, UM, REQUIREMENTS APPROVED BY COUNCIL FOR CONNECTING TO THE RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM.
ON THE SIDE OF THE CENTRALIZED RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM, WE, WE INITIATED OUR RECLAIMED WATER INITIATIVE, UH, AT THE WALNUT CREEK WASTEWATER PLANT BACK IN 1996, I THINK.
AND SINCE THEN, WE HAVE STEADILY AND PURPOSEFULLY, UM, DEVELOPED AND EXPANDED OUR RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM.
AND, UM, SO THE, THESE NUMBERS DON'T EXACTLY LINE UP WITH THE, WITH THE TIME BARS, BUT WE HAVE COMPLETED, UH, ABOUT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF INVESTMENTS.
WE HAVE UNDERWAY, UM, PROJECTS WORTH ABOUT $94 MILLION, AND WE HAVE ABOUT $203 MILLION, UM, PLANNED FOR THIS SYSTEM.
SO IT'S A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT WE'VE MADE.
WE'VE INVESTED A LOT OF CAPITAL, UM, INTO THE RECLAIM SYSTEM.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT, UH, ROUGHLY $200 MILLION BUYS YOU, UM, IN TERMS OF PIPES AND PUMPS AND TANKS.
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SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE, UM, MOVING THOSE PURPLE BOXES ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE ARE THE SOUTH AUSTIN REGIONAL AND THE WALNUT CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS.AND SO WE'RE, UH, MAKING OUR WAY, UM, AND HAVE MADE OUR WAY THROUGH DOWNTOWN, UM, PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL CONNECT THE NORTH AND SOUTH SYSTEM.
THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF IT BEING ROBUST AND RELIABLE.
UM, AND, UH, BUT YOU CAN SEE IT'LL BE, IT'LL BE A LONG TIME BEFORE EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS RECLAIMED WATER, UM, THE WAY THAT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICE NOW.
SO, UM, HENCE THE NEED TO HAVE, AGAIN, MULTIPLE TOOLS IN OUR TOOLBOX, UM, CONNECTION TO THE CENTRALIZED RECLAIM SYSTEM, AS WELL AS ONSITE WATER REUSE.
SO AGAIN, I WANNA STRESS AFFORDABILITY, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S AT THE TOP OF THIS SLIDE OF STRATEGIES.
SO WE HAVE SOME NEW AFFORDABILITY INCENTIVES, UM, THAT WE WILL BE, UM, PROPOSING TO, UH, TO FUND THROUGH THESE, UM, REQUESTS FOR COUNCIL ACTION.
UM, AND OUR STRATEGIES ARE REALLY AROUND EXPANDING OUR CENTRALIZED RECLAIM SYSTEM.
UM, THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE IT WILL MAKE SENSE RATHER THAN CONVEYING WASTEWATER ALL THE WAY DOWN TO OUR WASTEWATER PLANTS, AND THEN BACK UP THROUGH THE CENTRALIZED SYSTEM WHERE WE INSTALL A SMALL TREATMENT PLANT, YOU KNOW, IN A COMMUNITY, UM, TO EITHER COLLECT THAT COMMUNITY'S WASTEWATER AND REUSE IT OR MINE IT OUT OF THE EX EXISTING SEWER IF WE'RE IN THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, NEAR EXISTING SEWER.
AND THEN RECLAIM IT RIGHT THERE ON THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S COMMUNITY SCALE, RECLAIMED WATER, AND THEN THE ONSITE WATER CAPTURE AND REUSE.
THOSE ARE THE ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEMS WHERE, UH, COMMERCIAL MULTIFAMILY WILL COLLECT RAINWATER, STORM WATER, GRAY WATER AND AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSATE, AND THEN REUSE IT ON SITE.
AND WHEN WE SAY REUSE IT ON SITE, WE'RE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DUAL PLUMBING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, IRRIGATION, COOLING TOWERS, UM, AND FLUSHING TOILETS.
AND SO WE, UM, AGAIN, RECOGNIZING, UM, THE AFFORDABILITY ISSUES, WE REALLY PUT OUR THINKING CAPS ON AND THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO? AND WE MADE A LIST OF ALL THE THINGS WE COULD DO, AND THEN WE LOOKED AT IT AND SAID, WELL, LET'S, LET'S DO THEM ALL.
UM, SO WE WANNA HAVE A MENU OF, OF OPTIONS, UM, THAT HELP MAKE IT MORE AFFORDABLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE, UM, EVERY UH, EVERY FOOT OF PIPE THAT WE GET INTO OUR SYSTEM, EVERY BUILDING THAT GETS DUAL PLUMBED IS MOVING US FURTHER TOWARD OUR GOAL.
AND SO, UM, BY INVESTING, UM, AND COST SHARING SOME OF THOSE, UM, COSTS, WE CAN, UH, EXPAND OUR SYSTEM IN A WAY THAT BENEFITS OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE EVERYONE, EVERY ONE OF OUR CUSTOMERS BENEFITS FROM THE EXPANSION OF OUR RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM.
SO WE HAVE INCENTIVES AND GRANTS.
UM, WE HAVE REDUCED MONTHLY FIXED CHARGES.
AND I'LL NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, A BUILDING THAT, UM, IS DUAL PLUMBED CAN HAVE A SMALLER WATER METER.
UM, AND SO THEY WILL PAY LESS FOR THAT WATER METER RIGHT UP FRONT.
THEY'LL HAVE LOWER POTABLE WATER USE, UM, SO THEY PAY LESS FOR THAT.
SO SOME OF THAT IS ALREADY BUILT INTO THE SYSTEM.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR OTHER WAYS TO REDUCE THE FIXED CHARGES.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, UH, SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT REVIEW PROCESS.
UM, THERE'S AN EXPEDITED PROCESS THAT WE CAN HELP DEVELOPMENTS GET INTO.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT A LOW INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE, UH, DEVELOPED AND MANAGED BY THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UM, COST SHARING.
UM, THAT'S WHERE, YOU KNOW, ON THE EXTENSION TO CONNECT TO OUR CENTRALIZED RECLAIM SYSTEM.
AGAIN, IF THEY HAVE TO CONNECT TO 250 FEET, BUT THEY'RE 300 FEET AWAY, THERE'S A BENEFIT TO ALL OF US TO GETTING THAT CONNECTION MADE.
SO THERE'S SOME COST SHARING OPPORTUNITIES THERE.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S AN EXISTING STATE ADMINISTERED PROGRAM CALLED PACE, WHICH STANDS FOR PROPERTY ASSESSED CLEAN ENERGY.
AND, UM, AND WE HAVE DONE, UH, WE WROTE, OUR STAFF WROTE A WHITE PAPER ABOUT HOW THAT COULD BE USED FOR THESE, UM, PROJECTS.
AND SO WE'RE PREPARED TO HELP DEVELOPERS GO THROUGH THAT LOAN PROCESS AS WELL.
SO ALL OF THOSE STRATEGIES COST MONEY, UM, AND, UH, AND SO WE HAVE LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME WAYS TO, UM, BESIDES RATES THAT WE CAN, UM, AS, AS COMMISSIONER PENN POINTED OUT, WE ARE GOING THROUGH A COST OF SERVICE STUDY RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT ARE SOME OTHER STRATEGIES WE CAN PUT IN PLACE TO FUND THESE, UM,
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THESE REUSE, UH, FINANCIAL INCENTIVES.AND, UM, A, UM, STRATEGY THAT WE ARE PROPOSING WOULD BE TO ADD AN EXTRA 15 CENTS PER THOUSAND GALLONS TO OUR COMMUNITY BENEFIT CHARGE.
SO THE COMMUNITY BE COMMUNITY BENEFIT CHARGE RIGHT NOW IS 15 CENTS PER THOUSAND GALLONS.
UM, AND IT IS USED TO FUND OUR, UM, CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S OUR LOW INCOME AND VULNERABLE CUSTOMERS.
UM, AND THIS WOULD ADD AN ADDITIONAL 15 CENTS PER THOUSAND GALLONS, WHICH OUR, OUR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CUSTOMERS CAP CUSTOMERS DON'T PAY THE CBC, SO THIS WOULDN'T, UM, BE TACKED ONTO THEIR BILLS.
BUT, UM, SIMILAR TO THAT, UH, ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS WOULD PAY THIS.
UM, AND I THINK IT COMES OUT TO A DOLLAR 47 PER MONTH FOR THE AVERAGE, UM, FOR THE AVERAGE CUSTOMER OF AUSTIN WATER AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT A VOLUNTARY RATE PROGRAM.
YOU MAY REMEMBER AUSTIN ENERGY'S GREEN CHOICE PROGRAM.
THIS WOULD BE VERY SIMILAR TO THAT, WHERE OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WANNA KNOW HOW THEY CAN HELP, WHAT MORE CAN THEY DO, THEY CAN SIGN UP TO BE A MEMBER OF THE, UM, TO PAY THIS VOLUNTARY RATE.
UM, AND, UH, SAME THING FOR OUR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS AS WELL.
AND THAT MONEY WOULD BE DEDICATED TO THE RECLAIM SYSTEM.
UM, AND THEN AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, UM, YOU ALL ARE PROBABLY AWARE, BUT WE HAVE A FIXED, I MEAN, WE HAVE A, UM, A TIERED RATE STRUCTURE FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
SO THE MORE WATER YOU USE, UM, THAT MOVES YOU, YOU PASS THE THRESHOLD THAT MOVES YOU INTO HIGHER RATE.
UM, SO YOU PAY MORE WHEN YOU USE MORE THAT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A, A COROLLARY TO THAT ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE.
SO AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, WE WOULD USE THE, THIS WATER BENCHMARKING PROCESS IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH WHAT THAT KIND OF RATE STRUCTURE SHOULD LOOK LIKE FOR, FOR, FOR CUSTOMERS WHEN THEY EXCEED THEIR, UM, KIND OF THEIR POTABLE WATER ALLOTMENT.
SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A FUTURE STRATEGY, BUT WE WANNA PUT IT ON THERE AND, AND BEGIN TO SIGNAL THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT.
SO, JUST TO FRAME UP KIND OF WHERE WE ARE NOW AND WHAT THE CHANGES ARE THAT WE'RE PROPOSING WITH THESE REQUESTS FOR COUNCIL ACTION.
UM, RIGHT NOW, SMALL DEVELOPMENTS UNDER 250,000 SQUARE FEET, UM, ARE REQUIRED TO CONNECT IF THEY'RE WITHIN 250 FEET OF OUR CENTRALIZED SYSTEM.
AND THERE'S NO CHANGE FOR THEM.
UM, EVERYONE'S REQUIRED TO DO WATER BENCHMARKING, SO THAT'S ON, FOR ALL OF THEM.
LARGE DEVELOPMENTS, SO LARGER THAN 250,000 SQUARE FEET WITHOUT MULTIFAMILY ARE CURRENTLY REQUIRED TO CONNECT WITHIN 500 FEET.
THAT'S NOT CHANGING, BUT WE ARE ADDING THE REQUIREMENT TO INSTALL AN ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEM.
UM, SO IF, IF THEY'RE NOT WITHIN 500 FEET, THEN THEY NEED TO, UM, THEY WILL HAVE TO INSTALL AN ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEM AND STILL USE IT FOR THE INTENDED USES, UM, WHICH WILL REQUIRE DUAL PLUMBING.
NOW, LARGE DEVELOPMENTS WITH MULTI-FAMILY CURRENTLY HAVE THE SAME REQUIREMENTS AS THE SMALL DEVELOPMENTS.
UM, AND THE PROPOSED REQUIREMENTS FOR THEM, UM, ARE TO BE THE SAME AS, UH, LARGE DEVELOPMENTS WITHOUT MULTIFAMILY, BUT WE WILL EXCLUDE, WE ARE PROPOSING TO EXCLUDE PROJECTS THAT ARE ACCREDITED FOR THE CITY'S AFFORDABILITY AND LOCK PROGRAM OR THE STATE'S LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT.
SO, MARCH 7TH PURPLE PIPE DAY, THAT'S WHERE THE, UM, THE RCAS THAT ARE ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT WILL BE CONSIDERED BY CITY COUNCIL.
UM, AND THEN, UH, NEW RATES AND INCENTIVES WILL GO INTO OUR BUDGET.
AND SO, UH, WILL ALSO BE CONSIDERED BY COUNCIL, UH, DURING THE BUDGET ADOPTION PROCESS.
I THINK THAT, UH, WRAPS OH, AND THE, SORRY.
UM, THE LAST BULLET UNDER MARCH 7TH, UM, IS THE ONE THAT YOU ALL JUST APPROVED, WHICH IS THAT RECLAIMED WATER INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH TRAVIS COUNTY.
SO THAT WE'RE, WE'RE REAL EXCITED ABOUT THAT ONE.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND I HAVE, UM, BRILLIANT STAFF HERE AS WELL THAT CAN, SO ASK THEM, ASK THEM THE TOUGH ONES.
COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SO, SUSAN, OH, YES, COMMISSIONER, I DON'T REALLY NECESSARILY HAVE A QUESTION, PER SE ABOUT THE PRESENTATION.
I GUESS MY QUESTION MAY BE FALLING IN NOW FROM THIS INFORMATION TO ONE OF THE, UM, ITEMS. AND SO ARE WE GOING TO LIKE GO INDIVIDUALLY? I DON'T, I JUST DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD JUST ASK A QUESTION THAT ACTUALLY PERTAINS TO SAY ITEM NUMBER 10 IN THIS FORMAT, OR WAIT UNTIL, WHY, WHY DON'T WE, UM, STATE THE QUESTION YOU, THE ITEM NUMBER? SURE.
SO WE ALL ARE LOOKING AT THE SAME THING.
AND ASK THE QUESTION AND WE'LL
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GO THAT WAY.SO ITEM 10, TALKING ABOUT CONTINUING THE PILOT PROGRAM AND ISSUE INCENTIVES ON A PILOT BASIS.
AND IT SAYS, FOR ALTERNATIVE ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEMS OR RECLAIMED WATER CONNECTIONS FOR NEW COMMERCIAL AND MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENTS.
SO DOES THAT PERTAIN TO BOTH THE RECLAIMED WATER CONNECTIONS AND THE WATER ONSITE WATER REUSE? SO ONLY FOR NEW, UM, DEVELOPMENTS ON BOTH OF THOSE FOR THIS, FOR ACCESS TO THIS PILOT, UH, FUNDING.
SO THE QUESTION IS, WILL IT ONLY APPLY TO NEW DEVELOPMENT FOR ON THIS PILOT PROGRAM FUNDING? YES.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S A BIT OF A MIX, RIGHT? SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE A, A PILOT INCENTIVE PROGRAM THAT WE USE FOR APPLICANTS WHO ARE NEWLY INSTALLING RECLAIM SYSTEMS, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THEIR PREMISE.
SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THAT ELEMENT TO IT.
SORT OF THE NEW FEATURE IS A ABILITY TO COST SHARE WITH PEOPLE THAT CONNECT TO THE SYSTEM THAT ARE REQUIRED TO CONNECT TO THE SYSTEM UNDER THE, UNDER THE CHANGES IN THE LDC, WHICH IS ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM.
YEAH, I GUESS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE REASON I'M ASKING IS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MANY BUILDINGS AND DEVELOPMENTS OUT THERE AND, AND A LOT OF CORPORATIONS ARE LOOKING AT THE, UH, UH, WHAT IS IT CALLED? THE ENVIRONMENTAL OH, CATCHES, I'M BLANKING ON IT.
YOU KNOW, THE BOTTOM LINE, YOU KNOW? SURE.
AND THEY'RE WANTING TO INVEST IN THEIR BUILDINGS.
UM, AND SO I'M JUST WAS WONDERING, YOU KNOW, BY THE LANGUAGE, IS IT NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THIS PILOT FUNDING OR WOULD SAY AN EXISTING BUILDING THAT WANTS TO IMPLEMENT AN ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEM BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR THIS PILOT? SO FUNDING YES, IS THE ANSWER.
I'M CATHERINE DSKY, UM, SURPRISING ENGINEER WITH AUSTIN WATER.
THE CURRENT PROGRAM IS, UM, TARGETED AT, AT NEW DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CHANGE THE GUIDELINES AND UPDATE THEM FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION.
AND SO I THINK WE CAN CONSIDER THOSE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENTS AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY ARE BIG WATER SAVERS AND THAT'S THE WHOLE GOAL.
NO, IT'S JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S A, A, A GOOD DEAL OF MONEY MM-HMM.
SO JUST WANTING TO CLARIFY IF THAT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EXISTING BUILDING OWNERS.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS? I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, SO I GUESS IT'S RELATED TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, THE DISTANCES FOR CONNECTIONS, THE TWO 50 AND THE 500.
HOW DID YOU GUYS COME UP WITH THAT, OR WHY THOSE NUMBERS? EXCUSE ME.
UM, WE HAVE HISTORICALLY HAD A 250 CONNECTION FOOT CONNECTION REQUIREMENT.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY REAL MAGIC IN HOW WE GOT TO THAT.
I MEAN, I THINK PART OF IT IS JUST TRYING TO FIND A DISTANCE THAT WAS, I'LL SAY DI MINIMUS OR LEAST IMPACTFUL.
I DON'T THINK THE 500 FOOT DISTANCE IS PARTICULARLY SCIENTIFIC EITHER, OTHER THAN TRYING TO EXPAND THAT REACH AND TRYING TO, UM, FOLKS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO TRY TO INCLUDE.
I MEAN, UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF MY ANSWER.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ANY MORE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH THAN THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY WE'RE LOOKING AT IT, TRYING TO SLOWLY GROW.
GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THE 500 FOOT, UH,
SO WITH STORM WATER, UM, I, I BELIEVE WATERSHED LOOKS AT 550 FEET.
HAS THERE BEEN CONSIDERATION WITH THAT IN RELATION TO AUSTIN WATER'S 500 FOOT? I AM NOT AWARE THAT THE 550 FOOT FOR WATERSHED BEING WHAT ELEMENT OF STORMWATER REQUIREMENT, IF YOUR DEVELOPMENT IS WITHIN 550 FEET OF, OF EXISTING STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DAYLIGHT.
YOU HAVE TO CONNECT TO THE STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUILD TO THAT.
SO THAT THRESHOLD IS 550 FEET.
[00:45:01]
WAS A CONSIDERATION.ACTUALLY I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAD, BUT THAT'S A GOOD, WE'LL, WE'LL GO BACK AND LOOK AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY CONNECTIVITY THERE THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS? I HAVE ONE RELATED TO ITEM EIGHT ALSO.
BULLET POINT NUMBER ONE ON THE ACTIONS.
IT'S, IT, I BELIEVE IT GOES BACK TO THE DEVELOPMENT RE REQUIREMENTS SLIDE THAT WAS PRESENTED.
UH, I JUST WANTED CLARIFICATION.
UM, IT SAYS, CLARIFY THE TYPES OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO CONNECT TO AUSTIN WATERS CENTRALIZED RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM.
DOES THAT REFER TO THE DEVELOPMENT SIZE, SMALL, LARGE, WITH AND WITHOUT MULTIFAMILY, OR IS THERE ANY OTHER CLARIFY, CLARIFY TYPES OF PROPERTIES? UM, IT IS JUST CLARIFYING RIGHT NOW, IT'S CURRENTLY, IT SAYS A LARGE COMMERCIAL MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT IN THE CODE, AND PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONED, UM, THERE'S DIFFERENCES IN, UM, LAND USE TYPES IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
SO THERE'S JUST SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHICH BUILDINGS ACTUALLY, UM, ARE REQUIRED TO CONNECT.
AND SO WE'RE JUST BEING VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IS.
TWO MORE QUESTIONS, BUT NOT PARTICULARLY RELATED TO ITEMS. SO I'LL JUST ASK THEM WITHOUT, OKAY.
UM, THE FIRST IS, YOU HAD MENTIONED WITH THE TRAVIS COUNTY PACE LOAN PROGRAM THAT YOU GUYS HAD STAFF THAT WAS HELPING FOLKS APPLY FOR WHO, LIKE WHAT DEPARTMENT DOES THAT FOR AUSTIN WATER? IS THAT LIKE FINANCE PEOPLE OR IS THAT LIKE, WELL, I'LL SAY THAT, UM, THAT CATHERINE AND HER TEAM, CATHERINE KY, SUPERVISING ENGINEER AND HER TEAM, UM, DEVELOPED THE MATERIALS AROUND HOW THAT TRAVIS COUNTY PACE PROGRAM WOULD APPLY TO THESE RECLAIMED CONNECTION ORDINANCES AND ONSITE WATER RE SYSTEMS. UM, I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD ANY TAKERS OF, UM, APPLICANTS WHO WOULD LIKE OUR HELP TO APPLY FOR THAT PROGRAM.
AND I BELIEVE WE'VE HEARD FROM, UM, FROM THE TRAVIS COUNTY PACE PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF UPTAKE OF THE, OF THAT OPPORTUNITY, UM, AT, AT, YOU KNOW, E ON EITHER THE ENERGY OR THE WATER SIDE OF IT.
UM, SO WE'D LOVE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THAT PROGRAM, UM, BE VIABLE.
UM, I, WHAT I HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT IS THAT IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE HELPFUL TO OWNERS THAN DEVELOPERS BECAUSE IT'S VERY LONG TERM.
UM, AND SO I THINK THERE'S SOME ASPECTS OF IT THAT MAKE IT LESS ATTRACTIVE.
UM, AND THAT'S PART OF WHY WE WANTED TO DEVELOP SOME OF THESE OTHER STRATEGIES IS, IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN HAVE TOOLS THAT WORK FOR, UH, DIFFERENT PEOPLE, DEVELOPMENTS AND OWNERS WHO ARE IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.
AND THEN THE NEXT ONE WAS, UM, THE PURPLE CHOICE.
I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE GREEN CHOICE, I DON'T THINK I WAS AROUND THEN, BUT WHAT IS THAT? UM, DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT WOULD COST FOR SOMEONE TO JOIN? I THINK, UM, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ANNA BRIAN BOHA HAS THAT NUMBER AT THE TOP OF HER HEAD.
ANA BRIAN BORJA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS SERVICES.
UM, WE HAVE NOT YET FIRMED UP THIS SPECIFIC, UH, RATE, BUT, UM, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT AS AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE, UM, WE'VE PLAYED WITH SOME DIFFERENT NUMBERS, BUT SOMETHING LESS THAN A DOLLAR PER THOUSAND GALLONS.
AND LOOKING AT HOW THAT COULD AFFECT A TYPICAL AVERAGE CUSTOMER MONTHLY BILL WOULD BE ROUGHLY ABOUT $5 PER MONTH FOR THE CUSTOMER.
AND AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE A STRICTLY VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION PROGRAM.
THE WAY SINCE, SINCE YOU MENTIONED GREEN CHOICE, UM, THE WAY THAT WORKED, UM, AND I BELIEVE IT'S, THERE'S STILL, UM, A VERSION OF IT THAT'S STILL AROUND, BUT THEY ROLLED OUT, UM, A VERY AMBITIOUS, UH, PROGRAM THAT, UH, APPEALED TO CUSTOMERS WHO WERE CONSERVATION EFFICIENCY MINDED AND WANTED TO SEE, UH, THEIR UTILITY GETTING POWER FROM GREEN SOURCES.
AND SO CUSTOMERS ELECTED TO SIGN UP AND TO PAY THAT EXTRA RATE.
UM, AND, UH, GOT SOME, GOT SOME BENEFITS, UH, IN RETURN.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT AND MAKE THOSE VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? UM, GREAT.
[00:50:01]
SO WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE EACH ONE OF THESE ITEMS INDIVIDUALLY FOR VOTING FOR ACTION, AND JUST, UH, TO REMIND ME, DID ANYBODY RECUSE THEMSELVES ON ALL OF THEM? OKAY.SO COMMISSIONER P DURRANI IS GOING TO RECUSE THEMSELVES ON ITEMS 8, 9, 10, AND 11 FOR THE RECORD.
UM, SO LET'S START WITH ITEM EIGHT.
UM, RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY CODE CHAPTER 25 DASH NINE RELATED TO CLARIFYING REQUIREMENTS FOR WATER CONSERVATION IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WATER FORWARD PLAN, INCLUDING DISTANCES FOR THE RECLAIMED WATER CONNECTION REQUIREMENT, CLARIFYING DEFINITIONS AND MODIFYING VARIANCES, INCLUDING ADDING CERTAIN AFFORDABLE HOUSING EXEMPTIONS FOR RE, FOR RECLAIMED WATER CONNECTIONS AND ONSITE REUSE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, UH, CAN I HAVE A SHOW OF HANDS? AND WHO'S, OH, I NEED A, A MOTION, SORRY.
DO I HAVE A MOTION COMMISSIONERS A MOTION TO APPROVE COMMISSIONER GAINES MOTIONS TO APPROVE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SHOW BY, UH, RAISING THEIR HAND AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S, UH, ANONYMOUS WITH THE ONE RECUSAL.
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER NINE, RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY CODE CHAPTER 1513, REGULATION OF ONSITE WATER REUSE SYSTEMS RELATED TO ESTABLISHING DEVELOPMENT PROJECT REQUIREMENTS AND ADDING CLARIFYING LANGUAGE TO ONSITE WATER REUSE REGULATIONS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVE TO APPROVE COMMISSIONER PENN, UH, MOTIONS.
SECOND COMMISSIONER MAXWELL GAINS SECONDS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SHOW BY RAISING THEIR HAND AND IT IS UNANIMOUS WITH ONE RECUSAL.
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 10, RECOMMEND APPROVAL FOR RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AUSTIN WATER TO CONTINUE A PILOT PROGRAM AND ISSUE INCENTIVES ON A PILOT BASIS DURING PHYSICAL YEAR 2324 FOR ALTERNATIVE ONSITE REUSE SYSTEMS, OR RECLAIM WATER CONNECTIONS FOR NEW COMMERCIAL AND MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENTS UNDER AUSTIN WATER'S NEW REGULATORY FRAMEWORK IN A TOTAL AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF $5,600,000 AND A NOT TO EXCEED $500,000 FOR EACH PROJECT SUBJECT TO FUNDING AVAILABILITY.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE COMMISSIONER PENN A MOTION? DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SHOW BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND AGAIN, IT'S, UH, UNANIMOUS ANONYMOUS, UNANIMOUS
UH, MOVING ON TO ITEM 11, RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO AN AMENDMENT TO THE PHYSICAL YEAR 2324 AUSTIN WATER FEE SCHEDULE ORDINANCE NUMBER.
I'M NOT GONNA READ THE ORDINANCE NUMBER TO ADD A DEDICATED GO PURPLE COMPONENT TO THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT CHARGE OF 15 CENTS PER THOUSAND GALLONS TO SUPPORT THE REUSE STRATEGIES IN THE WATER FORWARD PLANNING AND AMENDING AUSTIN'S WATER 2324 OPERATING BUDGET TO REFLECT THE CORRESPONDING REVENUE AND APPROPRIATION INCREASE OF $4,100,000.
DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVE TO APPROVE? I GOT A MOTION.
I LIKE RAISING YOUR HAND, AND AGAIN, IT'S UNANIMOUS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OUR RECUSAL.
[16. Staff briefing on Handcox Water Treatment Plant Resiliency Improvements Project]
HAVE ONE MORE ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, BUT WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO STAFF BRIEFINGS FIRST.AND, UH, IT'S A STAFF BRIEFING ON HANCOCK'S WATER TREATMENT PLANT RESILIENCY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
CHARLES RO AUSTIN WATER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ENGINEERING SERVICES.
WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT WATER SUSTAINABILITY.
I'M GOING TO SWITCH OURSELVES TO A LITTLE BIT OF WATER RESILIENCY NOW WITH THE HANCOCK'S RESILIENCY PROJECT IMPROVEMENT.
UH, WITH ME IS BRIAN BARNETT, WATER SUPERVISOR FACILITY ENGINEERING DIVISION, IN CASE I NEED TO CALL A FRIEND.
UM, YOU'VE SEEN THIS ONE BEFORE IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION.
THIS IS OUR, BASICALLY OUR LAYOUT WHERE WE GET OUR WATER FROM.
UH, WE DO GET IT FROM LAKE BUCHANAN, LAKE TRAVIS.
UM, WE HAVE THREE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
[00:55:01]
IS UNIQUELY LOCATED ON LAKE TRAVIS AND HAS A, A LAKE INTAKE STRUCTURE FOR IT.UH, THE OTHER TWO, UH, WATER TREATMENT PLANTS ARE DOWNSTREAM OF MANFIELD DAN LOCATED ON LAKE AUSTIN, AND TAKE WATER FROM THERE IS MORE OF LIKE A RIVER INTAKE STRUCTURE.
OF THE THREE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
THE OLDEST IS DAVIS WATER TREATMENT PLANT, BUILT IN 1954, AND IT'S HAS A CAPACITY OF 118 MILLION GALLONS.
ORIC WAS BUILT SHORTLY THEREAFTER, AND IT HAS TODAY A CAPACITY OF 167 MILLION GALLONS.
AND ABOUT 45 YEARS LATER, WE BUILT HANCOCK'S WATER TREATMENT PLANT, AND THAT CURRENTLY HAS A CAPACITY OF 50 MILLION GALLONS GIVING A COMBINED, UH, TOTAL TREATMENT CAPACITY OF ALL THREE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS AT 335 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY.
UM, THE, THE PURPOSE OF THE HANCOCK'S RESILIENCE IMPROVEMENT IS TO PROVIDE A BASELINE MAINTENANCE CAPACITY OF 50 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY AT HANCOCK'S, UH, WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
THIS WILL ALLOW AUSTIN WATER TO MAINTAIN A MINIMUM OF 235 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY, COMBINED WATER TREATMENT CAPACITY FROM ALL WATER TREATMENT PLANTS, ALL THREE OF THEM AT ALL TIMES.
UM, HELPS US WITH CLIMATE CHANGE NOTICE NOTICEABLY WITH THE PROLONGED, UH, FREEZING EVENTS THAT WE'VE HAVE EXPERIENCED DURING WINTER.
AND THE EFFECTS OF THE ING EFFECTS HAS TO THE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE CUSTOMER USAGE OF, OF WATER MAINLY DRIPPING, UM, INCREASES THE AVAILABLE TREATMENT CAPACITY DURING MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES, UM, WILL INCREASE AVAILABILITY FOR SOLID HANDLING, BUT WILL MAINTAIN THE CAPACITY AT 50 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY.
THE RESILIENCY IMPROVEMENTS ALSO WILL ADDRESS SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE WINTER, UH, STORM URI AFTER ACTION REPORT, AS WELL AS EXTERNAL REVIEW.
THE WINTER STORM WORKING GROUP, UM, HAD THREE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AUSTIN WATER THAT THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS.
THE FIRST ONE IS TO MAINTAIN WATER PRODUCTION CAPACITY TO MEET DEMAND CRITERIA IN THAT WE NOW HAVE A SUMMER.
WE ALL KNEW ABOUT THAT ONE, BUT NOW WE ACTUALLY HAVE A WINTER DEMAND CRITERIA THAT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN.
UH, THE SECOND ONE IS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY AND MAINTENANCE SCHEDULING FOR BETWEEN OUR THREE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
AND THE THIRD WAS TO INCREASE SOLID STORAGE AND DISPOSAL.
THE OTHER TWO RECOMMENDATIONS FROM AUSTIN WATER EXTERNAL REVIEW THAT THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES IS THE FIRST ONE IS, UM, TO IDENTIFY POSSIBLE, UH, FUTURE SCENARIOS FOR, FOR, UM, WATER TREATMENT CHALLENGES.
I THINK WINTER STORM URI WILL DEFINITELY MEET THAT CHALLENGE, AND ALSO WITH OUR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS OF OUR WATER TREATMENT PLANTS, TRYING TO MAINTAIN A MINIMUM CAPACITY.
UH, THE, THE SECOND ONE THERE IS FOR THE, UH, SUDDEN REQUEST OF ADDITIONAL WATER TREATMENT.
UM, IT'S HARD TO TURN ON WATER FAST AT A WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
SO ONE WAY OF, ONE WAY OF, UM, HANDLING THE SITUATION IS TO HAVE MORE ONLINE AVAILABILITY OF CAPACITY AT A GIVEN TIME.
THIS IS, UH, AN AERIAL VIEW OF HANCOCK'S WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
UM, THE WATER AS MENTIONED, IS TAKEN FROM LAKE TRAVIS AND THE RAW WATER FACILITY AND PUMPED UP TO THE CLARIFIER SHOWN THERE.
ON THE RIGHT, THE WATER IS TREATED THERE AND LIME SOFTENED, UH, THE WATER TREAT WATER.
UH, THE TREATED WATER THEN GOES TO FILTRATION WHERE IT'S FILTERED AND THEN GOES TO THE CLEAR WELLS.
AND THEN FROM THE CLEAR WELLS, IT GOES INTO THE DISTRIBUTION CENTER.
UH, IT'S NOT CENTER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, EXCUSE ME.
UM, THE SOLIDS FROM THE FILTRATION AS WELL AS THE CLARIFIERS WILL GO TO THE SOLIDS HANDLING UNIT.
THOSE ARE DEWATERED AND TRUCKED OFF SITE.
SO, SPECIFICALLY, UH, THE RESILIENCE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, UM, FOR, FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT IS TO ADD, UH, ADDITIONAL UPLOAD CLARIFIER, ADDITIONAL THICKENER, ADDITIONAL SLUDGE HOLDING TANK, ADDITIONAL WASH WATER SETTLING BASIN, AND NEW TREATED WATER PUMPING.
WE HAVE THREE ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR RESILIENCY THAT WERE, UH, THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT.
[01:00:01]
UH, ONE IS A NEW POTABLE WATER LINE, UH, TO THE LOW SERVICE WATER PUMP STATION FOR SEAL WATER.THE SECOND ONE IS REPLACING THE PROGRAMMIC LOGIC CONTROLLERS, PLCS, AND NETWORK SWITCHES, UH, THAT MAINTAINS OUR SCDA RESILIENCY.
AND THE THIRD ONE IS A FREIGHT ELEVATOR FOR THE LINE BUILDING.
AND THAT IS AN AN O AND M REQUEST.
UH, WE'LL SHOW THESE, UM, IMPROVEMENTS.
AERIALLY, THE ONES KIND OF SHOWN, UH, THEY'RE KIND OF ORANGE ON MY, MY PAGE.
HOPEFULLY THEY'RE KIND OF ORANGE ON YOUR PAGE AS WELL, ARE THE ONES FOR THE MEAT, UH, THE, THE, TO, TO PROVIDE A BASELINE MAINTENANCE CAPACITY OF 50 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY.
WE'LL START THE CLARIFIERS WHERE WE'LL ADD ADDITIONAL UPFLOW CLARIFIER.
AND THEN MOVING TO THE LEFT, WE HAVE THE ADDITIONAL WASH WATER SETTLING BASIN.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ONLY HAVE ONE.
UM, THIS IS, THIS IS TRUE OF ALL THE SOLIDS HANDLING.
THE NEXT ONE IS THE ADDITIONAL SLUDGE THICKENER, AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL SLUDGE HOLDING TANK WHERE WE ONLY HAVE ONE OF EACH OF THOSE FACILITIES.
THEN TO THE FAR LEFT IS THE TREATED WATER PUMPING.
UM, CURRENTLY THAT'S ONLY THING THAT'S LOCATED RIGHT NOW IS JUST A FILTER BACK WASH.
WE GRAVITY DRAIN OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE PLANT RIGHT NOW, BUT WE CAN'T GRAVITY DRAIN 50 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY.
WE'LL NEED A LITTLE EXTRA PUMPING TO PUSH THE WATER OUT, THE, UH, BLUE OR THE EXTRA ADDITIONAL RESILIENCY THAT WAS MENTIONED.
I'M JUST SHOWING THE PROGRAM AT LOGIC CENTERS AT THE ADMIN BUILDING, BUT IT WOULD BE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE, UH, THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT TO REPLACE THOSE.
UH, THE FREIGHT ELEVATOR IS SHOWN AT THE LINE BUILDING.
AND THEN THE PROPOSED NEW POTABLE WATER LINE TO THE LOW SERVICE, UH, PUMP STATION OR THE RAW WATER PUMP STATION, UM, AS SHOWN IN RED THERE COMING FROM OURS, UH, FROM OUR, UH, DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY, WE, WE, WE GET POTABLE WATER FROM A THIRD PARTY, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO PREFER TO GET IT FROM US INSTEAD.
UM, JUST A POINT OF INFORMATION, THERE IS A BLUE LINE SHOWN THERE THAT'S ACTUALLY THE RAW WATER BEING PUMPED TO THE PLANT.
SO THAT'S NOT A POTABLE WATER LINE.
AND WITH THAT, I CAN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS, DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, DO YOU HAVE AN APPROXIMATE DISTANCE OF THAT PROPOSED WATERLINE? OH, BRIAN, DO YOU KNOW, HAVE OFF HAND? BRIAN BURNETT, FACILITY ENGINEERING SUPERVISOR? IT'S SEVERAL THOUSAND FEET.
WE DON'T HAVE THE PRECISE DISTANCE ON HAND, BUT IT, IT WOULD BE A SUBSTANTIAL WATERLINE PROJECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER MORTY? UM, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, WE CAN.
I THINK THIS IS A TERRIBLE PROJECT, AND, UM, I, UH, I CAN'T BELIEVE WE HAVE TO REPLACE THE PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLERS IN SUCH A NEW PLANT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO REPLACE THE CLARIFIER MECHANISM IN THIS THING A FEW YEARS AGO, AND THE MORE BRAND NEW EQUIPMENT BREAKING DOWN.
AND I JUST ASKED THE QUESTION, WHY AREN'T WE MAKING SOMEBODY ELSE PAY FOR THAT? BUT FUNDAMENTALLY, I, UH, I THINK THIS IS A BAD PROJECT.
UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE TO LEAVE TONIGHT.
I'VE GOT SOME PLANS, BUT JUST, UH, LET ME GO ON RECORD.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? UM, I DO HAVE A COMMENT MYSELF.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS ONLY ONE RESPONDENT FOR THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, AND I FIND THAT DISHEARTENING.
UM, I THINK COMPETITION KEEPS US ALL HONEST.
UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THERE WAS SEVERAL PEOPLE AT THE PRE-PROPOSAL, UM, AND THAT'S, UH, AVAILABLE INFORMATION.
I, I THINK IT WOULD BE INTERESTING IF PURCHASING COULD GET SOME FEEDBACK ON, ON WHY, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER CONSULTANTS DIDN'T WANNA PARTICIPATE IN, IN PUTTING A PROPOSAL TOGETHER.
UM, AT THIS POINT THOUGH, I I, I DON'T THINK HOLDING THE PROJECT UP AS NECESSARILY OUR PURVIEW, WE ARE JUST SUPPOSED TO GIVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNSEL.
SO, WITH THAT, UM, IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, UM, IS, UH, JUST MAKING SURE THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, REMIND ME THERE'S, I HAVE A QUESTION JUST MORE ALONG OF COMMENT MORE THAN A, A QUESTION REALLY.
JUST TO FOLLOW UP TO, UM, THE CHAIR'S COMMENT, COULD, WOULD IT BE, I MEAN, WOULD IT HAVE BENEFITED AUSTIN WATER IF THIS WHOLE SCOPE WAS BROKEN DOWN? IS THAT WHY WE ONLY GOT ONE
[01:05:01]
ENGINEERING CONSULTANT TO APPLY? JUST A QUESTION.I'M STILL GONNA VOTE YES FOR IT, BUT JUST CURIOUS IF IT WAS, THE SCOPE WAS SO LARGE, THAT'S PROBABLY WHY, WHY DE TO CONSULTANTS A QUESTION, COMMENT, QUESTION.
I, I, I WOULD SAY NO, I DON'T THINK THE SCOPE IS TOO LARGE ON THAT.
WE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER PROJECTS THAT DO GET MORE THAN ONE ENGINEER TO, TO SUBMIT ON THE PROJECT.
SO, UM, I WILL ADMIT THAT IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO AUSTIN WATER PROJECTS.
WE'VE HAD THAT, UH, IN THE PAST WHERE WE ONLY HAD ONE ENGINEER AS WELL.
DO YOU HAVE ONE QUESTION? IS THERE A PROCESS THAT AUSTIN WATER GOES THROUGH IF THERE IS ONLY ONE BIDDER, OR TO EVALUATE WHETHER OR NOT THE THE PROPOSAL WAS FAIR? YES.
SINCE THIS WAS A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS, EVEN WITH A SINGLE BIDDER OR A SINGLE PROPOSAL, IT STILL WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH AN EVALUATION PANEL AND IT WOULD HAVE TO MEET THE STANDARDS THAT THE, THAT THE PROPOSAL WAS QUALIFIED.
SO THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THAT EVALUATION PERIOD.
IF IT WAS NOT QUALIFIED TO NOT GO WITH THE QUALIFY, THE ONE SINGLE BIDDER, UH, QUALIFY, UH, SUBMITTER.
IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS, UH, I MAKE A MOTION TO, OKAY.
UH, BEFORE WE GET THERE, UM, I, REMIND ME, JUST I HAVE COMMISSIONER PENN AS A RECUSAL AND THAT'S IT.
UH, DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SHOW BY RAISING THEIR HAND.
SO I HAVE COMMISSIONERS, REIHART COMMISSIONER, PEN DURRANI, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL GAIN, AND COMMISSIONERS TOON SION AND, AND MYSELF IN FAVOR.
UM, CAN YOU CALL, WHO IS VOTING NO.
SO I CAN, UH, GET THE NAMES FOR THE RECORD? YES.
UH, AND THEN C COMMISSIONERS, UH, NOT IN FAVOR.
I, UH, COMMISSIONER MORTY AND COMMISSIONER REYES FOR THE RECORD.
AND COMMISSIONER PENN IS RECUSING.
SO THIS ITEM WILL, UM, NOT BE ABLE TO GO FORWARD BECAUSE IT DOES NOT HAVE A QUORUM, UH, TO VOTE, UH, TO APPROVE IT.
I THINK WE STILL HAVE A QUORUM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR, UH, COMING.
SO FOR THE RECORD, COMMISSIONER METI HAS STEPPED OFF THE DA, BUT WE STILL DO HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE WILL CONTINUE.
[17. Austin Water External Review: Final close-out report on implementation of recommendations.]
BRIEFING ITEM 17, UH, AUSTIN WATER EXTERNAL REVIEW, FINAL CLOSEOUT REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS.SO, UM, THE EXTERNAL REVIEW WAS, UH, CONDUCTED BY THE CENTER FOR WATER IN THE ENVIRONMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
UM, IT WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE, UM, OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITORS.
UM, IT HAD 53 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT AUSTIN WATER.
AND SO THIS IS OUR, UM, FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR.
WE GAVE OUR FIRST REPORT OUT ON, ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EXTERNAL REVIEW RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THIS WILL BE OUR FINAL REPORT OUT.
UH, BUT I WANT TO STRESS THAT, UM, THE WORK THAT IS REPRESENTED IN THIS, UM, IN THE EXTERNAL REVIEW AND IN THESE RECOMMENDATIONS IS NEVER DONE.
UH, AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON, UM, THE ITEMS REPRESENTED HERE, UM, MOVE THIS WORK FORWARD, AND YOU WILL SEE, UM, IN OUR REGULAR BRIEFINGS TO YOU ON RELATED TOPICS, UH, HOW WE ARE PROGRESSING ON THESE ITEMS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, UH, WHEN WE LAST REPORTED TO YOU IN NOVEMBER OF, UM, 2023, WE HAD IMPLEMENTED 33 OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
TWO WERE STILL IN THE PLANNING PHASE.
AND THERE ARE FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, UM, THAT WE DID NOT AGREE WITH THAT, UM, THAT ARE NOT MOVING FORWARD.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE LAST, UM, THREE MONTHS, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS.
UM, 41 RECOMMENDATIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED
[01:10:02]
AND EIGHT ARE UNDERWAY.UM, AND SO WE WILL TALK THROUGH THOSE, UM, BRIEFLY HERE.
SO YOU, UM, HAVE A REPORT, THE IMPLEMENTATION HANDOUT THAT YOU CAN REFER TO FOR MORE DETAIL.
UM, BUT ESSENTIALLY, UM, THESE NEWLY IMPLEMENTED, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS, WE PUT THESE INTO, UM, BROAD BUCKETS, EMPLOYEE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, OPERATIONS AND ENGINEERING, PUBLIC INFORMATION, UM, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, ESTABLISHING STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
THOSE ARE OUR, OUR BIG BUCKETS.
AND THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE PRIORITIES FOR ME AS A, AS DIRECTOR.
AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE, WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON, UM, ON ASPECTS OF THESE AREAS, UM, E EVERY DAY.
SO A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THIS FIRST ONE ON CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR INCREASED OPERATOR SALARIES.
WE HAVE IN THE LAST YEAR IMPLEMENTED A NUMBER.
UM, WE'VE IMPLEMENTED, UM, CITYWIDE SALARY STUDIES.
WE'VE IMPLEMENTED, UM, SOME PAY, UH, SOME JOB DESCRIPTION CHANGES, SOME RECLASSIFICATIONS.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, IMPLEMENTED A NUMBER OF STIPENDS SUCH AS, UM, UH, SAFETY, A SAFETY STIPEND, UM, AND VARIOUS RETENTION PAY AND RECRUITING, UH, STIPENDS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE AROUND COMPENSATION, NOT JUST FOR OPERATORS, BUT THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT AUSTIN WATER, UM, ON THE OPERATIONS AND ENGINEERING.
SO, UH, JUST TO FINISH THAT ONE UP, THE, THE, THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY, WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE WE ARE COMPETITIVE WHEN IT COMES TO COMPENSATION.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY LIKE THINGS WE WERE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THAT ARE NOT YET IMPLEMENTED.
WE HAVE DONE ALL THE, ALL OF, ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAD INITIATED A YEAR AGO, UM, UNDER OPERATIONS AND ENGINEERING.
UM, WE COMPLETED THE BACKWASH PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND WROTE AN SOP FOR THAT.
UM, WE DID QUITE A BIT OF WORK ON OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, PARTICULARLY WITH COMMUNICATING WITH PLANT STAFF.
SO WE HAVE A REALLY ROBUST CIP PLANNING PROJECT THAT YOU'VE PROCESS THAT YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT FROM US BEFORE, THAT LOOKS AT ASSET CONDITION AND CRITICALITY AND RENEWAL REPLACEMENT COST.
AND, AND, AND SO WE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE EXTERNAL REVIEW HIGHLIGHTED WAS THAT NOT ALL OF OUR FRONTLINE STAFF UNDERSTAND HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS.
UM, AND SO WE IMPLEMENTED A TRAINING, UM, FOR STAFF SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND HOW PROJECTS GET IN THE PLAN AND HOW THEY CAN INFLUENCE THAT.
UM, AND THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE, UM, THE FINAL BULLET HERE, ENHANCING THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE CIP PROCESS THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION.
UM, SO WE HAVE, UH, ON THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SIDE, UM, LOOKING AT IDENTIFYING POSSIBLE FUTURE SCENARIOS THAT COULD PRESENT WATER QUALITY AND TREATMENT CHALLENGES.
WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DRILLS.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, FUTURE WATER QUALITY AS PART OF, UM, SOME OF THE WATER FORWARD WORK.
UM, AND SO, UM, THAT IS KIND OF DRILLED INTO OUR, INTO OUR PROCESS, IF YOU WILL.
AND THEN ON SOPS AND TRAINING, WE HAVE COMPLETED A NUMBER OF, OF SOPS, AND WE HAVE STOOD UP OUR TRAINING PROGRAM.
SO WE, WE HIRED, UM, THREE NEW PLANT TRAINERS AND PUT THEM IN OUR, UM, TALENT DEVELOPMENT DIVISION.
SO, UM, THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, UM, BUILDING A PLANT WATER PLANT TRAINING PROGRAM, AND THEN IMPLEMENTING THAT WITH OUR PLANT STAFF.
AND AS, AND THAT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
THEY HAVE DEVELOPED, UH, A NUMBER OF THE MODULES.
NOT THAT ALL THE MODULES ARE NOT DEVELOPED YET, BUT THEY'RE ALL UNDERWAY.
AND AS A TESTAMENT TO HOW WELL IT'S WORKING, WE HAVE, EVEN OUR SEASONED WATER PLAN OPERATORS ARE, YOU KNOW, WANNA BE A PART OF THIS.
THEY WANNA GO THROUGH THIS TRAINING.
SO WE'VE HAD REALLY GREAT, UM, ADOPTION AND UPTAKE OF THIS TRAINING PROGRAM FROM OUR STAFF.
UM, AND THEN THE OIL SPILL RESPONSE PLAN HAS BEEN UPDATED.
THAT'S PRIMARILY A RESPONSIBILITY OF, OF THE, OF THE PIPELINE OWNER.
UM, BUT WE COLLABORATED WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR WATER QUALITY CONCERNS WERE ADDRESSED.
SO, UM, WE WILL, UH, CONTINUE TO WORK ON ALL OF THESE, UH, ASPECTS OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, DEVELOPED OUR BRIEFING SCHEDULE FOR THE AUSTIN WATER OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT OUR WORK IN THESE AREAS, UM, PARTICULARLY AROUND, UH, RECRUITING, RETENTION AND TRAINING.
UM, AND, AND ALSO REGULAR UPDATES
[01:15:01]
ON OUR, UM, MY A TX WATER.UM, AND SO THOSE BRIEFINGS THAT WE GIVE TO OUR, UH, COMMITTEE OF COUNSEL WILL ALSO COME TO THIS COMMISSION.
I BELIEVE THAT'S MY FINAL SLIDE.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION THIS EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE UPDATES THROUGHOUT.
I KNOW IT WAS, YOU KNOW, INITIALLY CHALLENGING, BUT REWARDING AS IT AS IT PROGRESSED.
AND, UH, JUST TO SAY, LOOK FORWARD TO THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE PARALLEL UPDATES IN THE FUTURE ON SOME OF THESE TOPICS THAT YOU CONTINUE TO WORK ON.
I WILL SAY IT HAS BEEN A REWARDING PROCESS.
I THINK THAT I WAS REALLY PROUD OF HOW AUSTIN WATER STAFF ENGAGED IN THAT PROCESS AND WE'RE OPEN TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND FAITHFULLY IMPLEMENTED THEM.
UM, I THINK THAT WE LEARNED A LOT AND WE MADE OURSELVES BETTER WITH THIS WORK.
AND THAT'S BEEN ITS OWN REWARD.
UM, I ECHO COMMISSIONER PENN'S STATEMENTS, UM, AND GLAD THAT IT WAS EMBRACED INSTEAD OF, UH, THE KNEE JERK REACTION
[18. Discussion of future agenda items]
DO WE HAVE, UH, FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? IS THERE ANY OTHER FUTURE ITEMS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DISCUSSED? UH, AS A REMINDER, YOU'RE ALSO WELCOME TO REACH OUT TO ME, UH, INDIVIDUALLY.IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING, IF SOMETHING COMES UP AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT ADDING IT TO THE AGENDA, UM, YOU'RE JUST NOT SUPPOSED TO EMAIL EVERYBODY AT THE SAME TIME.
'CAUSE THEN IT WOULD BE A QUORUM
UH, IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS, UH, WE ARE OFFICIALLY, IT'S SEVEN 18 AND WE'RE OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED.