The Chisholm Trail Special Utility District has dissolved as a governmental entity, according to a news release.

At a public hearing Sept. 30, the district board members voted unanimously to dissolve and adopted an order of dissolution, the release said. The district was officially and formally dissolved the week of Oct. 7, it said.

Facing challenges with water availability and financing, the district approached the city of Georgetown in 2011 about the possibility of merging theChisholm Trail SUD and the Georgetown Utility Systems, the release said. After two years of feasibility studies, public meetings and hearings, the board voted unanimously in 2013 to consolidate the two water systems, it said.

The merger was approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas in 2014, and the assets and liabilities of the district were transferred to the city of Georgetown water utility, the release said. At that time, Chisholm Trail SUD water customers became city of Georgetown water customers, and Chisholm Trail employees became Georgetown employees, it said.

The merger and transfer of service area was approved unanimously by the PUCT in 2015 and subsequently affirmed in a series of legal challenges, the release said. Senate Bill 248, passed by the Texas Legislature in 2017, allowed Chisholm Trail SUD to dissolve after Aug. 31, 2019, whether or not third-party legal actions were resolved, it said.

Due to the deadline to cancel an election, which was in August, candidates for the Chisholm Trail SUD board will be on the Nov. 5 ballot for residents who live in the former service area of the district. Votes will be tabulated and reported in the election. However, candidates in the election will not be seated or serve on the Chisholm Trail SUD board since the district no longer exists as a legal entity, the release said.