To fund the next phase of a permanent raw water intake project in Lake Travis, the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority is applying for financial assistance from the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas, or SWIFT. In order to ask for the SWIFT loan from the Texas Water Development Board, Cedar Park and Leander must approve a resolution authorizing the request, according to Cedar Park documents. Cedar Park, Leander and Round Rock first met in 2005 to develop a three-phase regional water system that would deliver water to the cities for the next 50 years, and in 2007 the three cities formed the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority. The SWIFT funding request for design, some electrical construction and necessary right-of-way for Phase 2 of the project totals approximately $15.75 million, according to city documents and BCRUA General Manager Tom Gallier. Cedar Park City Council approved its share of around $6.97 million at a meeting April 26. The city of Leander is responsible for the difference, after approving its share on April 19. With funding from Round Rock, the total cost for this portion of Phase 2 is $22.7 million, according to Cedar Park documents. Construction for Phase 2 is expected to cost between $150-$175 million, Gallier said. Sam Roberts, Cedar Park’s assistant city manager, said this is the second SWIFT loan the city has pursued, after the first loan was approved last year. “The SWIFT program offers low-interest loans through state AAA bond rating and discounted interest rates,” Roberts said. “It’s really good financing for us.” The authority is in the process of finishing the first phase of the deep water intake project, with construction on Phase 1C scheduled for 2019-2020, according to BCRUA documents. Phase 1C expands the water treatment plant and floating raw water pump station. The second phase of the BCRUA’s deep water intake project will include the construction of the deep-water intake, a pump station and intake and transmission tunnels, according to authority documents. Gallier said that construction of Phase 2 will not start until 2021 at the earliest, and could be complete in 2025 or 2026.  final design is slated to start later this year. “Upon completion, Phase 2's deep water intake and pump station will supply all of the Lake Travis raw water needs for the BCRUA regional water treatment plant, the Cedar Park water treatment plant and the Leander water treatment plant,” he said. “The water will be pumped from deep in Lake Travis, and will maintain all three member cities' supply of raw water through all but the most extreme drought conditions.”