The West Travis County Public Utility agency has finalized and issued an agreement with Mirasol Springs for the extension of a 3-inch water pipeline that will service water from Lake Travis to the 1,400-acre development, located on the border of Travis and Hays counties.

The nonstandard service agreement, or NSSA, was updated with certain provisions following public feedback at the meeting, which will be reflected in the required service availability letter as well, said Scott Roberts, president of the WTCPUA.

The overview

Changes to the NSSA, which is available in its original form on the WTCPUA’s website, include a rewriting of Section 2.2, titled “Developer Commitments on Water Conservation and Water Quality Protection.”

Subsections A, C, D and E were updated with additional language specifying terms of abandonment of existing wells, how Mirasol can source potable water, and to what standards wastewater must be treated.

Brief summaries of those sections are as follows:

• Section A allows Mirasol to use harvested groundwater or treated effluent for potable water sources, while prohibiting the use of groundwater or surface water from the Pedernales River for the use of potable water.
• Section C states that existing wells for irrigation in one section of Mirasol, Phase 1, will be abandoned.
• Section D states that existing wells in another section of Mirasol, Phase 2, will also be abandoned.
• Section E adds certain environmental standards for wastewater treatment, limiting levels of ammonia nitrogen and phosphorus.

What they’re saying

The decision was made at the board’s Dec. 18 meeting, after public comments were shared by members of Save Our Springs and Save the Pedernales.

Several individuals thanked the WTCPUA for considering requests previously made by the environmental groups and Travis County.

Bill Bunch, director of Save Our Springs, expressed remaining concerns regarding the pipeline opening up opportunities for excessive development in the area.

Bunch also pointed out that the pipeline crosses through protected lands of Travis County.

“There are a lot of details to be worked out, hopefully in cooperation with the county,” Bunch said. “And with the other stakeholders that are involved ... so that this pipeline does what I think we all want it to do—which is protect groundwater, protect the river [and] minimize development in a way that really benefits the springs.”

What’s next?

Once an SAL and NSSA have been issued, construction plans may be submitted for new water service, according to the WTCPUA’s website.

After construction plans are reviewed and final construction is completed, WTCPUA staff will install meters on the property site.