[caption id="attachment_213480" align="alignright" width="460"] Robert Pugh is the new general manager of the West Travis County Public Utility Agency.[/caption]

What we reported

Robert Pugh was hired as general manager for the West Travis County Public Utility Agency in August, bringing with him 30 years of engineering and utility industry experience. Pugh said his goal was to make the WTCPUA the leading local water/wastewater utility in terms of operational excellence, cost effectiveness, customer service and environmental compliance.

The latest

In an effort to supply more in-house services, on Jan. 2 the PUA began providing customer service and operations services using their own staff, Pugh said. WTCPUA had utilized USW Utility Group for the services since 2014. Pugh said he plans on hiring accountants and engineer technicians in 2017 and will look at other office venues to improve synergy and cost effectiveness.

What’s next

Pugh said the WTCPUA will develop a capital improvement planning process that prioritizes projects and tracks expenditures to optimize growth, serviceability and regulatory compliance. He hopes this could lead to the execution of a capital program in the next fiscal year.

The WTCPUA aims to complete a project that will repair a pond liner in Spillman Ranch and create a second raw water line for the PUA, he said. Pugh also said he hopes to successfully negotiate settlements for ongoing litigation against the WTCPUA.

Pugh said the WTCPUA will work to develop a beneficial reuse system in the coming years to convert treated effluent into potable, or drinkable, water through reverse osmosis.

This story is one update from The January Issue. View the full list of 10 things to look for in 2017 here.