Developers for Mirasol Springs, a proposed 1,400-acre development near the Pedernales River, have requested that the West Travis County Public Utility Agency assist them in sourcing water from Lake Travis, instead of the Pedernales, by constructing a new pipeline.
The overview
At the WTCPUA meeting Oct. 17 at Bee Cave City Hall, the agency’s board members addressed the developer’s requests. Mirasol Capital, the developer in question, is requesting a service availability letter from the agency, which would be the first step toward building a new pipeline providing water to the development from Lake Travis. According to plans presented at the meeting, water service would be provided exclusively to Mirasol Springs along a 4-inch diameter pipeline running from a nearby development called Peacock Ranch.
The service letter request came after months of protest from nearby residents and environmental protection groups like Save the Pedernales and Save Our Springs. Concerns voiced by those groups include placing an excessive burden on the Pedernales River water supply, as well as wastewater treatment plans that they claim could harm sensitive ecosystems in nearby natural areas like Roy Creek Canyon.
The new water pipeline would not divert water from the Pedernales, but many at the meeting argued that sourcing water from Lake Travis still did not address all of their concerns, particularly those related to wastewater treatment.
The WTCPUA heard public comments from over 15 community members at the meeting. Some board members remarked that they did not feel fully informed to make a decision on the matter, and the board ultimately decided to postpone a decision on the service letter request to their next meeting Nov. 18, in order to provide time for all board members to study the developer’s requests more thoroughly.
The discussion
The Mirasol Springs development was first proposed in 2021. Since learning of its plans for water sourcing, Save Our Springs and Save The Pedernales have pushed developers to consider more sustainable options for their water supply, including rainwater collection and overall reduction of water service. Several members of these organizations spoke at the meeting, including Bill Bunch, executive director of Save Our Springs.
Bunch spoke about plans for the new pipeline and argued that the public had not been given adequate notice of those plans or adequate time to consider them before the Oct. 17 meeting.
“We’re being told by the applicant that this is a model of sustainable development. That they want to be good neighbors and that this is a great solution for everyone,” Bunch said. “Well, if it is, it would withstand some scrutiny and some time. This is being disrespectful to your constituents.”
Bunch requested the board delay making a decision on the pipeline until a later date.
“Let’s be respectful of each other. Let’s have some time. We’re asking you and Mr. Truitt to pull this back. Put the evidence in the record, and let’s have an honest and fair discussion.”
Bunch has previously commented that he is in favor of finding a scaled-back solution to the development, according to previous reports by Community Impact. However, some residents argued that building in this region is simply not sustainable, whether water is sourced from Lake Travis or the Pedernales.
“What about Austin? Aren’t they in Stage 2 drought? And everyone in Lake Travis—isn’t the lake low?” said Annie Borden, a resident of Hamilton Pool Road. “Can you justify taking water away from them to satisfy Mirasol’s demands for their resort, for people who live somewhere else?”
The board also heard comments from Jim Truitt, the director of Mirasol Capital.
“We adamantly disagree with the assertion that there is not enough water,” Truitt said. “If you go back and you look at the news releases, if you look at press conferences, [the protester’s concerns have] all been about water and pumping groundwater, or taking water out of the river. This solves that.”
Some context
Roy Creek Canyon co-owner Lew Adams said he had concerns at the meeting about the development possibly endangering the area’s water supply and encouraging more development in the region.
“All you have to do is look at Hamilton Pool Road from [RR] 12 to [Hwy.] 71. Where water goes, builders and development follows,” Adams said.
Engineers for WTCPUA claimed that the pipeline, which would be 4 inches in diameter, would provide only enough water for Mirasol Springs.
Mike Clifford, technical director of the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance, questioned this statement, claiming that a pipe this large would provide more than twice as much water as Mirasol Springs needed, potentially incentivizing future development in the area.
Clifford stated that a 4-inch pipe can run 260 gallons per minute. Mirasol is currently requesting 108. This means there would be a 59% extra capacity on the proposed pipe for additional development, Clifford said.
“Extending a pipeline carrying 155,000 gallons per day would inevitably lead to expansions of that pipeline and possibly extension of wastewater lines in the future, converting a natural area where the Pedernales River flows through pristine canyon lands into yet another development corridor,” Clifford said.
In order for the service extension request to be approved, Mirasol Capital would have to agree not to use groundwater or surface water from the Pedernales River for their potable water, according to a letter issued by WTCPUA to Mirasol Capital.
Scott Roberts, president of the WTCPUA, stated that, although a decision would be postponed until their next meeting, he was in favor of approving the request, due to the fact that updated plans did not source groundwater from the Pedernales.
“We’ve accomplished not taking water out of the river and not taking water out of the ground,” Roberts said. “The only reason that the WTCPUA is considering extending service to this development is in order to stop pumping out of the Pedernales River and to stop pumping out of the Trinity Aquifer.”
What’s next
With the decision being postponed until Nov. 18, Roberts requested that engineers provide a more detailed explanation of how much water is being pumped to Mirasol Springs, and respond to disagreement about whether or not a 4-inch pipeline is in fact capable of supplying water only to Mirasol Springs or if other developments could also tap into it.
Further discussion about the enforcement of WTCPUA policies regarding water usage for the Mirasol Springs development will also take place at the Nov. 18 meeting.
