Preparing the Lake Houston area for the next Harvey: State, local and regional officials are pushing for billions in funding to limit flooding in the Lake Houston area, including a more than $1 billion bond referendum from Harris County in 2018 that could raise taxes.  Kingwood Area Mobility Study projects come to life: Design and construction of projects identified by the Kingwood Area Mobility Study—a study of congestion in the Kingwood area by the lake Houston Redevelopment Authority—begins to ramp up in 2018. Humble ISD prepares for bond: The district is deciding this February whether it should call a bond referendum that could reach $600,000—the highest amount Humble ISD could borrow without raising taxes. Work begins at local waterpark: After several delays, construction is underway at Big Rivers, the first major project at Grand Texas. Atascocita park to break ground: Harris County is improving the greenspace outlook in Atascocita by constructing a 19-acre park near the intersection of Will Clayton and West Lake Houston parkways. Candidates vie for Ted Poe's seat: Fourteen candidates, including nine Republicans and five Democrats, have filed to replace U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, R-Humble, who announced in November that he would retire. Water purification plant underway: Construction began in 2017 on the Northeast Water Purification Project, which is part of $3 billion in projects associated with providing surface water as a drinking source for the region.