Council committee briefed on proposed LDC amendments for wastewater treatment plant expansion

Austin City Council’s environmental committee received an update Wednesday on the $1 billion expansion of the Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, which will require several site-specific variances or amendments to the Land Development Code.

The Council last month directed staff to identify the amendments necessary to facilitate construction of the project, which will increase the plant’s treatment capacity from 75 million to 100 million gallons per day with more advanced treatment processes.

“It’s a truly generational project that we’re doing here and we feel it also brings some community benefits,” Austin Water’s Charles Celauro, an assistant director, told the council’s Climate, Water, Environment, and Parks Committee.

To that end, Austin Water will seek approval, either administratively or from Council, on several facets of the project, including building a floodplain wall within a Critical Water Quality Zone, construction on slopes, cut-and-fill up to 25 feet, and the removal of two heritage pecan tree, which Celauro said will be relocated on site.

The Environmental Commission recommended the proposed variances and ordinances at its April 2 meeting and made more than a dozen suggestions for improving the community-benefit aspect of the project.

Some of the recommendations include ramping up public information regarding water and wastewater conservation programs within the plant’s service area, incorporating a tree management plan, reducing light pollution with dark skies lighting, and improving opportunities for birding, walking and exploring nature.

The commission also asked Austin Water to study the feasibility of transferring 50 acres to the Parks and Recreation Department for parkland.

Celauro said the proposed LDC amendments will be on the Council’s May 22 agenda.

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