Item 6 — original pdf

Backup

Item 6 # 24-4121 Water & Wastewater Commission: March 13, 2024 Council: March 21, 2024 Posting Language Recommend approval to negotiate and execute an interlocal agreement with the cities of Round Rock, Cedar Park, and Leander for the reimbursement of costs related to the expansion of the Brushy Creek Regional Wastewater System and authorizing the City's share of funding for capital improvements to the East Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant in an amount not to exceed $12,600,000. Lead Department Austin Water. Client Department Austin Water Assistant Director of Customer Experience, Randi Jenkins Fiscal Note Funding in the amount of $12,600,000 is available in the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Capital Budget of the Austin Water Department. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets. Prior Council Action: July 23, 2009- Council approved an interlocal agreement to purchase the City’s share of the Brushy Creek Regional Wastewater System from the Lower Colorado River Authority. September 22, 2011- Council approved an agreement with the Brazos River Authority for the operation and maintenance of the Brushy Creek Regional Wastewater System. March 6, 2014- Council approved an interlocal agreement with the Cities of Round Rock, Leander, and Cedar Park concerning the capacity, operation, maintenance, and improvements to the Southwest Interceptor of the Brushy Creek Regional Wastewater System. May 18, 2017- Council approved negotiation and execution of interlocal agreements with the cities of Round Rock, Cedar Park, and Leander for the reimbursement of costs related to the expansion of the Brushy Creek Regional Wastewater System. May 7, 2020 – Council approved negotiation and execution of an amendment to the agreement with the cities of Round Rock, Cedar Park, and Leander to increase Austin’s reimbursement share related to the expansion of the Brushy Creek Regional Wastewater System. Council Committee, Boards and Commission Action: March 13, 2024 - To be reviewed by the Water & Wastewater Commission. Additional Backup Information: The Brushy Creek Regional Wastewater System (“Brushy Creek System”) is a wastewater system located in southern Williamson County. The cities of Austin, Round Rock, and Cedar Park jointly purchased the Brushy Creek System from the Lower Colorado River Authority in 2009, and each City is a partial owner of the Brushy Creek System. The City of Leander joined the other cities in 2011. Two wastewater treatment plants of the Brushy Creek System are located in the City of Round Rock’s  Item 6 # 24-4121 Water & Wastewater Commission: March 13, 2024 Council: March 21, 2024 jurisdiction and treat wastewater within the Brushy Creek, Onion Creek, Chandler Creek, and McNutt Creek watersheds. The plants are known as the “East WWTP” and the “West WWTP.” Austin has approximately 5,007 retail wastewater connections, which discharge into the Brushy Creek System (primarily within the Avery Ranch subdivision). The East WWTP needs increased capacity to meet future wastewater treatment demands based on projected population growth in northern Travis County and southern Williamson County. Texas Commission of Environmental Quality regulations require that engineering design of a wastewater treatment plant expansion must begin when wastewater flows reach 75% of the plant’s capacity. The most recent capacity expansion of the East WWTP to 30 million gallons is nearing completion and the partner cities have now agreed to jointly pursue an expansion that will provide for a total of 10 million gallons of additional wastewater treatment capacity. The East WWTP will reach its maximum permitted capacity of 40 million gallons upon completion. Partner cities will pay their proportionate costs for additional capacity in the East WWTP according to the Cost Allocation Percentages as shown in the table below: It is anticipated that the expansion will be completed by 2028. The city of Round Rock will bid, manage, and oversee the design and construction of the East WWTP. Each of the cities will reimburse their proportionate share of costs to Round Rock as milestones are achieved.