Dear Whitewater Springs Members,
I hope this message finds you and your family well as we head into the warmer months. As your Water Company President, I’m pleased to share several important updates on our ongoing projects, improvements, water management, and an opportunity for community leadership.
Well #4 Project Progress – We continue to advance the Well #4 project with a focus on minimizing impacts while meeting our community’s water needs. Key developments include:
- After careful consideration, we are pursuing bank financing instead of TWDB (Texas Water Development Board) funds. The TWDB process involves extremely complex requirements that has delayed and greatly complicated the project. The amount of financing obtained in 2019 is also insufficient for what the project will cost in 2026. Lisa Haley and I are actively working with TWDB to secure an early release from our existing loans, allowing us to move forward with this alternative approach. More to come on this as we make progress.
- Thanks to valuable feedback from members, BBA (our engineering partner) is redesigning aspects of the project to reduce visual impact. The main changes include:
- Shortening the tank height to 6-8 feet (instead of 16 feet).
- Painting the tank (rather than leaving it in raw metal).
- Flipping the footprint to orient away from the roads.
- Using black-colored fencing (instead of standard galvanized).
- Adding a trench around the fenced area to support plantings for natural screening.
These modifications will help the site blend better into our community while maintaining functionality and regulatory compliance.
- Next Steps: BBA is resubmitting the updated plans to TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) for approval. Once cleared, we can proceed to the bidding phase.
Recent Site Improvements – We’ve made progress on enhancing our facilities for better functionality and aesthetics:
- The parking lot at the main Whitewater location has been cleaned up and formalized. To take it a step further, we’re seeking community volunteers interested in helping landscape the site with drought-resistant plants. This could serve as a great example for new residents when making their own landscaping choices. It will also be used as a guide to landscaping the Well #4 lot. If you’re interested in volunteering, please email team@wswsc.org.
- At the Woodhollow location, we’ve engaged a contractor to repair the roof. With the well now relocated outside the building, we can safely remove the skylight to address longstanding leaks caused by it.
CTGCD Permit Update –We are preparing to submit a new study to the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District (CTGCD) to address our current permit restrictions. Early indications are promising, and we expect positive movement soon. I’ll provide more details as they become available.
Preparing for Summer Water Use – With summer approaching, hotter weather and increased irrigation demands are on the horizon.
- We are currently operating at Stage II restrictions.
- Usage so far this year remains within our permit limits, and we do not anticipate exceeding them based on last year’s usage.
- We will only move to a higher stage if the district increases the drought stage or if our overall usage approaches the permit threshold.
The Board will vote in one of the next two meetings to set the summer surcharge rate (applied to usage above 12,000 gallons per month). As a reminder, this rate has historically been $60 per 1,000 gallons and applies to the June through September billing periods.
A Note on Leadership Transition – At the recent annual meeting, I announced this will be my final year as President of the WSWSC. I plan to serve out my full three-year term as board member to ensure a smooth transition.
This opens an exciting opportunity for a community member interested in stepping into a leadership role. One board member is interested in retiring, so we can immediately replace them. This creates an opportunity to provide on-the-job training and experience to prepare for leading the organization in the coming year. I’ll remain available to offer support and guidance throughout the next three years and beyond if needed.
If you’re interested in serving on the Board or learning more about the role, please email team@wswsc.org. Your involvement helps ensure our water supply remains reliable, affordable, and community focused.
Thank you for your continued support and for being great stewards of our shared resources. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or ideas.
Best regards,
Gregg Thompson
President, Whitewater Springs Water Supply Corporation