Posted: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 09:20 AM - 7,567 Readers

By: Nihas Wagal

Austin will be facing off against the cities of Leander and Granite Shoals on Nov. 18 when the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will decide whether or not to allow the discharge of wastewater into the Highland Lakes.

A 1986 ruling by the commission prohibited the discharge of treated wastewater effluents into the Highland Lakes, including Lakes Travis and Austin. But the rising cost of disposing wastewater and improved technology have led Leander and Granite Shoals to petition for a change in the initial ruling.

“In 1986, the technology was a lot different. Now with technology, the level of effluents are of the same or better quality than the current quality of water in Lake Travis,” said Wayne Watts, city engineer for Leander.

Leander and Granite Shoals would be allowed to deposit treated wastewater into the Highland Lakes if the ruling were lifted.

“We feel that disposing of treated wastewater is a cost issue, and, out of concern for our taxpayers, we think this is a very efficient and cost-effective solution,” said Watts.

Though the discharge of wastewaster into the Highland Lakes might be a cost-effective solution for the cities of Leander and Granite Shoals, an added cost may fall onto the city of Austin.

In a resolution regarding the proposed changes, Austin City Council claimed that the added pollutants will increase the cost of treating drinking water, there will be a reduction in aquatic life habitats and there could be an adverse impact on the regional economy.

There are other alternatives for discharging treated wastewater, but they depend on location.

“Another alternative that is presently used is land-applying the discharge via irrigation.

This method is site-specific and can be just as expensive as building a water treatment plant,” said Charles Maguire, director of the Water Quality Division of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

All forms of discharge have to meet stringent rules set by the commission. Unless they pass all permit requirements, no discharges are allowed into the lakes.

The city of Leander has conducted its own tests, which haven’t been released to the public yet.

“This isn’t sewage or partially treated wastewater,” Watts said. “This is high-quality effluent that is going into Lake Travis, which is where our water intake is, and we don’t want to do anything to pollute our own waters.”

*  Story Contributed by: Nihas Wagal