Bee Cave City Council members on Jan. 10 authorized the mayor to execute a settlement agreement for a longstanding rate case with the Lower Colorado River Authority.

The settlement will allow a coalition of Central Texas communities that includes Bee Cave to purchase the West Travis County Regional Water and Wastewater System from the LCRA.

A memorandum of understanding signed by the Coalition of Central Texas Utilities Development Corporation, which represents the interests of of Bee Cave, Leander, Lakeway Municipal Utility District and others, required a rate case between Bee Cave and West Travis County MUD No. 3 and 5 to be settled with LCRA. The four-year-old rate case stemmed from LCRA attempting to raise water rates.

Attorneys are currently working on the rate case settlement documents that need to be done by next Tuesday, which is when the contract to purchase the water and wastewater system between the LCRA and CCTUDC is to be signed, Bee Cave City Administrator Frank Salvato said.

The LCRA announced the sale of its 32 water and waste water systems in November 2010, saying the utilities cannot support themselves financially, leading to nearly $3 million in annual shortfalls.

The LCRA later decided not to sell five systems, including the system that covers West Lake Hills.