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Water
Austin involved in two battles over water rates
The Austin Water Utility is engaged in two different battles over water rates. One fight is with wholesale water and wastewater customers who have challenged rates adopted by City Council in 2013. According to AWU Assistant Director David Anders, this…
Water • By Jo Clifton • Jul 2, 2015
Central Texas not drought-free yet
Staff with the Lower Colorado River Authority may have breathed a sigh of relief after May’s record-breaking rainfalls, but they’re not considering the area drought-free just yet. At the LCRA meeting Wednesday, experts provided an overview of possible weather expectations for the next…
Water • By Courtney Griffin • Jun 25, 2015
Council to consider settling with WTP 4 contractors
After years of public discussion and argument, the city built Water Treatment Plant 4 and it began operating six months ago with little fanfare. There is just one piece of business remaining for completion of the plant and its financing.…
Water • By Jo Clifton • Jun 18, 2015
Conservation District preps for annexation
With two major bills pending in Texas’ legislative session, officials with the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District discussed a potentially rushed timeline at their regular meeting Thursday. In March, legislators put forward House Bill 3405 and Senate Bill 1440 to…
Local Government • By Courtney Griffin • May 18, 2015
Shoal Creek Conservancy partners with city
The Shoal Creek Conservancy announced Tuesday that it has signed a collaborative agreement with the city. The agreement comes out of a May 2014 City Council resolution that directed the city manager to explore a public-private partnership in order to…
Development • By Elizabeth Pagano • Apr 22, 2015
New water tap rule causes cost, consternation
In the midst of what almost everyone agrees is a housing affordability crisis in Austin, planners and residential contractors have discovered a new rule that significantly increases the cost of retrofitting garages into apartments and building new granny flats. Longtime…
Resources • By Jo Clifton • Apr 21, 2015
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Downward oxygen trend a risk for salamanders
Barton Springs is the only known home to the endangered and federally protected Barton Springs and Austin Blind salamanders. Unfortunately, for these unique creatures, the level of life-sustaining dissolved oxygen in their ecosystem has dropped on average over the past…
Preservation • By Tyler Whitson • Apr 20, 2015
Austin Water reports on water-related legislation
As Central Texas continues to face its worst drought on record, state legislators are considering several bills this session that could affect water supplies in Austin and throughout the state. Austin Water Utility Legislative Coordinator Heather Cooke briefed the Water…
Texas State Legislature • By Tyler Whitson • Mar 17, 2015
Aquifer board backs annexation of unregulated area
At its Thursday meeting, the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District board of directors voted unanimously to support proposed legislation that would expand the district’s territory and give the board authority over part of an unregulated area where water supply company…
Environment • By Kara Nuzback • Mar 9, 2015
Riverboat contract has a sewage problem
Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo and City Council Member Leslie Pool raised concerns last week about Lone Star Riverboat’s practices at the regular Council meeting Thursday, postponing the vote on a revenue contract until March 26. A memo to Council…
City Council • By Sunny Sone • Mar 9, 2015
Plans for Decker golf course divide Parks board
A proposed golf course split Austin’s Parks and Recreation board down the middle Wednesday night when members landed undecided on whether to recommend to City Council a 50-year license with Decker Golf LLC to build a high-end golf complex in…
