History and Status of Wastewater Disposal in the Barton Springs Zone

History and Status of Wastewater Disposal in the Barton Springs Zone

Chris Herrington, PEWater Resource Evaluation Section Manager

Population in the Barton Springs Zone

From CAMPO, US Census Bureau, AMVA

In 2010: 143,000 people 48,000 dogs 54,000 cats

Residential = 6%Undev/Ag = 87%Open Space = 3%

1995

Residential = 29%Undev/Ag = 51%Open Space = 14%

2006

Excess Nutrients in Creeks

Add Nutrients

Regulatory Authority• Cities and counties regulate land development, and may

permit On-Site Sewage Facilities

• TCEQ regulates wastewater discharge, and wastewater land application (TLAP) > 5,000 gpd

• Groundwater Conservation Districts manage well drilling and aquifer pumping but not land development or wastewater

• Investor-owned utilities have individual wastewater permits from TCEQ but very limited additional authority

On-Site Sewage Facility (2010)

~9,500 OSSF Permitted

From Austin, Travis County, Hays County, Bee Cave, Dripping Springs records

From TCEQ Central Files

Texas Land Application Permits

Jeremiah Ventures

From USGS cooperative monitoring

Barton Springs Zone Nitrate in Surface Water

Dripping Springs Future Wastewater Projections

Legislative History

1996 Discharges prohibited in the RZ2005 Regional Water Quality Protection Plan generated

2009 Rule petition to TCEQ to ban CZ discharge-not adopted2009 HB1508 to prohibit discharge in CZ-not passed2011 SB853 to set treatment limits for CZ discharges-not passed

2013 HB2046 fund a study, conduct a stakeholder review-?

BSZ Regional Wastewater Plan

Phase 1Compile existing information on water quality conditions, assimilative capacity of creeks/aquifer, current wastewater treatment methods and alternatives.

Phase 2Initiate stakeholder process to develop consensus recommendations for wastewater management in the BSZ

Phase 3Identify and pursue rule changes/legislative action necessary to implement those recommendations

Jurisdictions including ETJ in the Barton Springs Zone