Tag Archives: Watershed Protection Department
More funds needed to finish Waller project
City Council will be considering seven items on Thursday’s agenda with a combined financial impact of $7.5 million for completing the Waller Creek Project, which has been fraught with difficulties since the discovery that the intake tunnel had been designed…
Austin • By Jo Clifton • May 11, 2016
Staff seeking OK to fix Eliza Spring
Members of the city’s Watershed Protection and Parks and Recreation departments have been planning improvements for Eliza Spring in Zilker Park since at least 2012. The spring, which is home to the largest concentration of the endangered Barton Springs salamander…
Environment • By Jo Clifton • Mar 22, 2016
Austin asks TCEQ to change wastewater rules
On Tuesday, the city of Austin formally asked the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for help in correcting an uptick in permits that allow direct discharge of effluent into the region’s lakes, creeks and streams. In Texas, treated wastewater can…
Water • By Elizabeth Pagano • Mar 16, 2016
Committee recommends more home buyouts in floodplain
Property values are rising in Austin, even in areas at high risk of flooding. It’s a challenge that the Watershed Protection Department faces as it seeks to buy properties in the Middle Williamson Creek area threatened by flooding, city staff…
Austin • By Jack Craver • Dec 4, 2015
Li retires from city but not from public service
After more than 20 years with the state of Texas and nearly 10 years with the city of Austin, Watershed Protection Director Victoria Li has retired. She said some of her proudest achievements include introduction of value engineering to the…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Oct 6, 2015
Regional leaders work on wastewater issues
Austin Mayor Steve Adler and Dripping Springs Mayor Todd Purcell on Monday convened what Adler called “a pretty unique regional meeting of leaders to address the common challenge of growth and water and wastewater issues – potentially in a way…
Water • By Jo Clifton • Sep 1, 2015
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Council adopts new drainage fee structure
If all goes according to the city’s plan, Austin residents can expect some significant changes to their monthly drainage fees in October. While City Council has adopted a new underlying methodology for that fee, it still has to decide exactly…
City Council • By Tyler Whitson • Jun 26, 2015
Council wades deeper into drainage-fee issues
As City Council prepares to take action on restructuring the city’s drainage fee today, it is working through several issues that the current proposal presents for residents and property owners. That conversation continued at a special called meeting Tuesday. Council…
Resources • By Tyler Whitson • Jun 25, 2015
Committee proposes delay on drainage fee
With pressure mounting for City Council to adopt a new drainage-fee structure in the face of legal and budgetary concerns, the Public Utilities Committee took up the issue Wednesday but made no official recommendation to Council. The ordinance that the…
Austin • By Tyler Whitson • Jun 18, 2015
Council approves most flood buyouts
Though some members of City Council remain concerned about the implications, yesterday they approved the bulk of the Williamson Creek flood buyouts. Although the previous Council had authorized the funds from the Capital Improvement Projects budget, this Council was asked to…
Austin • By Elizabeth Pagano • Jun 5, 2015
Citing criticisms, Council delays new drainage fee
Despite a request from staff to adopt a new drainage charge by the end of the month, City Council is delaying action until the middle of June with the hope that its Public Utility Committee will be able to address…
City Hall • By Tyler Whitson • May 26, 2015
Council prepares for reworked drainage fee
In the wake of last year’s ruling that the city’s stormwater drainage charge is unfair to certain residents, City Council will hold a public hearing today to consider adopting a new fee structure that staff says would be more equitable…
