Backup_251118 WF24 Implementation Working Group Meeting Notes — original pdf

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Water Forward Task Force: Water Forward 2024 Implementation Working Group November 18, 2025, Meeting Notes Teams Meeting, 12:00 pm Attendees: Paul DiFiore, WFTF Marisa Flores Gonzalez, Austin Water Bill Moriarty, WFTF Kevin Kluge, Austin Water Katherine Jashinski, Austin Water Water Forward 2024 Water Supply Strategies Update Marisa Flores Gonzalez provided a brief update related to the Aquifer Storage Recovery (ASR) project. The Bastrop County ASR collaboration agreement will be considered by Austin City Council on November 20. Austin Water is also continuing to work on Indirect Potable Reuse emergency implementation planning, use of Lake Long as a water supply reservoir, and brackish groundwater desalination. Water Forward 2024 Water Conservation Strategies Update Kevin Kluge shared that the Q3 water management strategy report will be presented at the December 9 Water Forward Task Force meeting. He also shared the following conservation updates: • In October a new Community Outreach Grant was launched. The grant will provide five mini-grants to local organizations promoting water conservation activities, providing up to $3,000 per application. Austin Water will be awarding grants in February 2026. • Austin Water has been sending out pilot MyATXWater notifications over the past several months, including notifications sent to irrigators after rain days, notifications sent to those irrigating three or more times per week, and notifications for home water use reports. The Conservation team is gathering data on how these notifications are impacting water use to plan for future broader rollout of notifications. • Conservation staff are categorizing commercial water customers to perform water use benchmarking and analyses. • All water conservation programs are being integrated into SalesForce (a customer relationship management application), which will help to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of customer outreach. Water Forward 2024 Implementation Working Group Meeting September 2025 Water Forward 2024 Water Reuse Update Katherine Jashinski shared the following water reuse updates: o The Onsite Water Reuse Systems (OWRS) Team is starting a project next month to use a permit tracking software for onsite reuse permits. This system will automate data collection to estimate savings from operational water systems and provide alerts when systems may not be in use. o OWRS is finishing up an OWRS operators training manual that was developed by AW in collaboration with the Water Reuse Foundation. This training will be publicized and an exam to get the certificate will be made available nation-wide in April 2026. In October, Austin will establish a requirement that individuals need to be certified to be an OWRS operator. OWRS will also looking at workforce development opportunities that align with this certification in the future. o OWRS approved the first Fee In Lieu of OWRS application in October 2025. They are also engaging with the Real Estate Council of Austin (RECA) on the Fee In Lieu program and will be publishing additional guidance to help developers to comply with requirements of the program. o A large onsite water reuse system for the Apple campus will be operational in 2026. This project will provide approximately 240,000 gallons per day in potable water savings. The water is being used primarily for cooling towers. OWRS is continuing to work with UT on a similar project. o AW reauthorized OWRS incentives and continuing to engage with affordable housing and other developers who may be interested in using these incentives. Discussion Task Force Member DiFiore asked if there's anything that the Water Forward Task Force can do to help increase compliance with onsite water reuse requirements rather than paying Fee in Lieu and to help change the status quo on how developers' design teams are organized and work to deliver projects. Katherine shared that Fee in Lieu was a key component of getting Council approval of the onsite water reuse requirements and Austin Water is not looking at changing current fee in lieu structure. Katherine mentioned that the Onsite Water Reuse Team is establishing good connections with affordable housing developments to encourage them to take advantage of onsite water reuse incentives. Water Forward 2024 Implementation Working Group Meeting September 2025