By Moses Leos III
Local mayors from four area cities tackled the high-profile topic of water in a recent mayoral panel, which included Kyle’s Todd Webster. They convened at the Energy Thought Summit (ETS) in Austin on Thursday.
Austin, Cedar Park, San Marcos and Kyle work individually, but Webster said they also maintain a regional frame of mind.
“I’ve seen [our] suburban communities mature. Staffs are starting to do things in a much more regional way,” Webster said. “We have a more mature perspective on that.”
Webster referenced issues the city faced with water and how it worked regionally to find solutions.
Webster said in 2003 the city was caught overpumping the Edward’s Aquifer, its only water supply at the time, by 200 percent. He said the city was fined because of it.
Radical changes took place, as the city eventually diversified its supply. It extended to acquiring surface water from Canyon Lake via the Guadalupe Blanco River Authority. Webster said the city is “well positioned right now.”
Diversifying its water supply is what Kyle continues to address as a member of the Hays Caldwell Public Utility Agency (HCPUA).
The HCPUA is an agency comprised of Buda, Kyle and San Marcos, along with the Canyon Regional Water Authority. Their purpose is to resolve the long-term water needs for areas in Hays and Caldwell counties.
Currently, Kyle is planning to share the cost for a large water line extending to the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer in Gonzalez County. HCPUA plans to buy 35,000 acre-feet of water. Webster said it would help Kyle attain a 50-year water supply.
San Marcos mayor Daniel Guerrero said HCPUA has been “a magnificent collaboration to work on a shared need for water.”
That extends to the cooperatives meant to identify ways to provide infrastructure.
He said ensuring the area has, “a good clean supply and means to distribute water to residents” is important.
Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell said collaborative efforts, such as the Capital Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), are templates to address water and energy infrastructure issues in the region.
Webster also focused on continued communication with the public on water issues. It’s vital when talking about what’s driving up water rates.
Webster said after the panel that community information initiatives, such as the one for the Lone Star Rail, are needed.
“[It’s] explaining that planning and infrastructure, you have to pay for upfront, so we don’t run out of water,” Webster said on stage. “We need to do that now, so that 50 years from now, we don’t turn the tap on and have air coming out.”
But as the entities try to work together, saving water ultimately becomes the priority.
“Water is the future currency of Texas,” Cedar Park mayor Matt Powell said. “The dynamic of Central Texas has changed.”
