Casar gives $1M to Kyle for reclaimed water system

KYLE — On Thursday, July 18, 35th Congressional District Representative Greg Casar awarded the city of Kyle just under $1 million in approved funding to expand the reclaimed water system.

The reclaimed water system began in February 2023 after congressman Lloyd Doggett secured $2 million in federal appropriates for the city to begin drafting a Reclaimed Water Master Plan. According to Mayor Travis Mitchell, reclaimed water is when water is taken out of the wastewater treatment plant and brought back into the city for irrigation and other uses. Later, in September of the same year, council members approved a plan that identified potential landscape irrigation customers, an evaluation of the existing city reclaimed water supply from the wastewater treatment plant, a layout of proposed pipeline routes and a hydraulic evaluation of the potential distribution system and more.

“The population boom presents all of these challenges about where we’re going to get our water from. Where are we going to fit everybody?  How are we going to make sure it’s an inclusive community? … In this case, we’re bringing nearly a million-dollar check for the incredible water work that you’re doing here in Kyle, Texas, because reclaimed water systems are the path of the future,” said Casar. “This $1 million investment can hopefully be leveraged into many millions more and shows the confidence of the federal government in what you all are doing here … It’s such an incredible reminder of the people here that are so committed to our community.”

An evaluation of an expansion to the Plum Creek Golf Course was approved in April 2024, after the master plan stated that this area of the city was in the most demand for water. Now, the $959,752 award is to expand the system once more from the Plum Creek Golf Course to Heroes Memorial Park. According to a news release, the funding was made possible through the Community Project Funding process for the fiscal year 2024 spending bills. Kyle applied for the grant through Casar’s office in 2023, was approved in the first round of the appropriations government funding packages that passed the U.S House on March 6, 2024, and was signed by President Joe Biden on March 9.

“In Hays County, the elephant in the room is always growth and how do we make sure that infrastructure is keeping up with that growth,” said District 45 House Representative Erin Zweiner.

The growth of infrastructure continues as assistant director of water utilities Tim Sanford shared at the July 16 council meeting that the city is beginning to look at a five-, 10- and 50-year demand projections through an updated Water Master Plan in the first quarter of 2025. These glimpses will allow the city to evaluate water sources to make recommendations for improvements that are needed, for a capital improvement project implementation budget and a revised Drought Contingency & Water Conservation Plan.

Sanford explained that the city is in a positive position to fulfill its demand for water over the next four years using the city’s base supply, the arrival of the Alliance Regional Water Authority pipeline and its partnership with the city of San Marcos.

According to Kyle City Manager Bryan Langley, more information regarding the city’s water usage will be provided in a detailed presentation on Aug. 6.