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- A plan to end night swimming at Barton Springs is over before it ever began
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Environment
Council approves 100-year water conservation road map
On Thursday, City Council unanimously adopted a plan to guide Austin’s water use for the next century. “This is a tremendous moment for Austin,” said David Foster, director of Texas Clean Water Action. “If we pass this plan, Austin will…
Water • By Jack Craver • Nov 30, 2018
To conserve water amid warming climate, city envisions major underground storage system
For four years, volunteer members of the Integrated Water Resource Task Force have been crafting a plan to conserve Austin’s water supply over the next century. While experts have long warned that a warming climate, coupled with a growing population,…
Water • By Jack Craver • Nov 14, 2018
The Norwood House may soon get a face-lift
On the northwestern corner of Interstate 35 and Riverside Drive is a plot of land that the city purchased in 1985 and that most Austinites know to be an off-leash dog park. However, also nestled on that same plot of…
Parks • By Jessi Devenyns • Nov 1, 2018
PARD unburies contract infringement with cemetery contractor
Recently, city auditors found major flaws in how the city manages its contracts, and based on the testimony by a citizen at the Oct. 23 Parks and Recreation Board meeting, the city’s cemetery contract may fall into that category. “We…
Parks • By Jessi Devenyns • Oct 29, 2018
Boil water order may be lifted Sunday
Austin Water Director Greg Meszaros said Thursday he expects a boil water notice for water utility customers to remain in effect until Sunday evening. In the meantime, the utility is working to satisfy all of its internal requirements as well…
Water • By Jo Clifton • Oct 26, 2018
As temperatures increase, investment in renewables is already shaving dollars off Austin utility bills
Despite summer 2018 being one of the hottest on record in Austin, energy prices did not spike with the temperature. Instead, energy costs for customers this summer were identical to those of summer 2017, even though temperatures were higher this…
Energy • By Ryan Thornton • Oct 26, 2018
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Boil water rule could end this weekend
Although a Travis County emergency management official told commissioners Tuesday morning that the current boil water advisory for Austin Water customers could continue for 10 to 14 days, city officials said Tuesday afternoon that such a scenario was unlikely. Mayor…
Water • By Jo Clifton • Oct 24, 2018
Austin Energy: Storage is the next hurdle to Austin’s renewable energy plan
The big conundrum facing energy utilities today is how to balance supply and demand for every second of every day. Although there are debates around the subject, the answer, albeit simple, seems to lie with storage. In the Austin Energy…
Energy • By Jessi Devenyns • Oct 19, 2018
AE seeks code change to support fast car charging
Austin Energy estimates that there were 5,873 electric plug-in vehicles in its service territory as of Sept. 30. Karl Popham, AE’s manager for electric vehicles and emerging technologies, told City Council during Tuesday’s work session that about 85 percent of…
Energy • By Jo Clifton • Oct 18, 2018
Water and Wastewater Commission holds off on billing recommendation
Over a year after the water billing saga surfaced in the news, Austin Water and Austin Energy are still working to adjust internal processes in order to proactively prevent a similar situation from reoccurring. In their effort to do so,…
Water • By Jessi Devenyns • Oct 15, 2018
Zero Waste Advisory Commission buries landfill criteria matrix
Austin’s Zero Waste Advisory Commission met Wednesday night and voted to scrap a two-year effort at creating a matrix of criteria that could objectively evaluate landfills for city use. The commission was presented with two matrices — one developed by…
Resources • By Ryan Thornton • Oct 12, 2018
Austin Energy proposes local solar farm
In spite of the tremendous appetite for renewable energy in Austin, the city doesn’t offer many opportunities to build the kind of large-scale wind and solar farms necessary to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. “It’s an issue of land,” explained…
