The San Jacinto River Authority is nearing completion of a surface water treatment plant on Lake Conroe as the agency prepares to deliver water to residents this year.[/caption]
As the 2016 groundwater reduction mandate deadline established by the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District draws closer, local water suppliers and municipalities are finalizing ongoing projects to comply.
The LSGCD mandate states that municipalities and water suppliers must reduce groundwater use by about 30 percent of 2009 groundwater use levels by 2016. Many entities throughout Montgomery County entered into joint groundwater reduction plans.
"We are seeing a lot of progress occurring in the county, [and] there are a few entities that have over-converted already with the hopes of earning early conversion credits for their effort," LSGCD General Manager Kathy Jones said. "You will see a lot of those entities that are representing the [groundwater reduction plans] doing the last minute changes that they need to comply with the district's rules."
The San Jacinto River Authority groundwater reduction plan—the largest of 32 plans in the county—is finalizing surface water delivery pipeline construction in The Woodlands and other participating entities and aims to begin delivering water to residents by summer.
By doing so, the SJRA plan would earn early conversion credits, which can be applied to deficits in groundwater reduction if necessary, SJRA spokeswoman Ronda Trow said.
"If we start delivering [water] in July of 2015 versus January of 2016, we receive early conversion credits," Trow said. "[If participating entities] get into January and for some reason the pumpage is a little off, then [they] can use those credits [to comply with reduction mandates]."
While pipeline construction has been completed in The Woodlands, Trow said additional testing and site restoration will continue until the spring.
"We are continuing to do site restoration, we are doing testing of all the lines, we are still pulling fiber optics and we will have to do fleshing of the lines until the spring," Trow said. "Residents should still expect to see us in the area from time to time. So if there is a rolling lane closure or if there is an area that has been barricaded off, that could be due to testing of the lines."
The San Jacinto River Authority is nearing completion of a surface water treatment plant on Lake Conroe as the agency prepares to deliver water to residents this year.[/caption]
As the 2016 groundwater reduction mandate deadline established by the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District draws closer, local water suppliers and municipalities are finalizing ongoing projects to comply.
The LSGCD mandate states that municipalities and water suppliers must reduce groundwater use by about 30 percent of 2009 groundwater use levels by 2016. Many entities throughout Montgomery County entered into joint groundwater reduction plans.
"We are seeing a lot of progress occurring in the county, [and] there are a few entities that have over-converted already with the hopes of earning early conversion credits for their effort," LSGCD General Manager Kathy Jones said. "You will see a lot of those entities that are representing the [groundwater reduction plans] doing the last minute changes that they need to comply with the district's rules."
The San Jacinto River Authority groundwater reduction plan—the largest of 32 plans in the county—is finalizing surface water delivery pipeline construction in The Woodlands and other participating entities and aims to begin delivering water to residents by summer.
By doing so, the SJRA plan would earn early conversion credits, which can be applied to deficits in groundwater reduction if necessary, SJRA spokeswoman Ronda Trow said.
"If we start delivering [water] in July of 2015 versus January of 2016, we receive early conversion credits," Trow said. "[If participating entities] get into January and for some reason the pumpage is a little off, then [they] can use those credits [to comply with reduction mandates]."
While pipeline construction has been completed in The Woodlands, Trow said additional testing and site restoration will continue until the spring.
"We are continuing to do site restoration, we are doing testing of all the lines, we are still pulling fiber optics and we will have to do fleshing of the lines until the spring," Trow said. "Residents should still expect to see us in the area from time to time. So if there is a rolling lane closure or if there is an area that has been barricaded off, that could be due to testing of the lines."
