Kyle approves $2M in federal funds for water project

KYLE — In an effort to meet the demands of growth and recycle water resources, Kyle City Council unanimously voted to approve $2 million for the water reclamation project on Tuesday, Feb. 21.

On Feb. 14, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) announced that he secured $2 million in direct federal appropriations for the city of Kyle to use toward its Reclaimed Water Master Plan.

“With the climate crisis already impacting Central Texas, water is perhaps the precious resource that is most threatened,” Congressman Doggett said. “This direct federal funding will allow the city of Kyle to move forward with new water infrastructure to conserve resources and increase drought resilience. These new funds will enable expanded use of reclaimed water in planning for this rapidly growing community.”

Director of communications Rachel Sonnier said the plan originated in 2012 with a feasibility study funded by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program and the Texas Water Development Board Regional Facilities Grant Program.

Reclaimed water is acknowledged by the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conversation District as a regional means of groundwater planning for protecting the aquifer levels and springflows and is also acknowledged as a water conservation technology with the potential to provide the region with additional water for municipal use, according to the city.

“We are exceptionally grateful for Representative Doggett’s support and advocacy for our Reclaimed Water Master Plan Project. As Central Texas continues to grow, so does the demand on the region’s limited water supplies,” said City of Kyle Mayor Travis Mitchell.

“Reclaimed water has proven to be a sustainable solution for rapid growth and provides a cost-effective and ‘droughtproof’ water resource for current and future public infrastructure.”

The funds, Sonnier said, will allow Kyle to build out its water conservation infrastructure. The money will fuel the engineering needed to put the master plan in place and will allow the city of Kyle to connect the reclaimed water lines it has already laid the foundation for throughout the city limits to the water treatment plant.

The water can then be used to irrigate city parks and green spaces, as well as supply reclaimed water for road and construction projects.

Upgrades at the Wastewater Treatment Plan will allow Kyle to broaden the available “types” of reclaimed water that it can treat. The city currently treats to Type II — water used in remote, restricted, controlled or limited-access areas where human contact is unlikely.

Future equipment will allow Kyle to treat Type I — water used where public contact is likely such as watering public parks or school yards, according to the city.

The Reclaimed Water Master Plan is still in development and a draft will be available in May.