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News-Dispatch Volume XXXVII No. 3
Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982
75¢
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Single victim wreck ends in fatality BY MOSES LEOS III
news@haysfreepress.com
PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III
Coming together at Songwriters Fest
Whether you vote red or blue this November, a pair of Dripping Springs Songwriter Festival patrons with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump masks made sure passersby got a good laugh Saturday on Mercer Street. Music, however, was the focus for many this past weekend as the third annual Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival took over downtown Dripping Springs. See photos from the third annual festival online at HaysNewsDispatch.com. Just follow the photos link.
LAGNIAPPE Free Health Screenings
Wesley Nurse Rachel Kemper, through the charitable efforts of the Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. will be at the Dripping Springs Community Library on the third Thursday of each month to provide free medical blood pressure and blood sugar screenings and educational services. The event is held the third Thursday of every month from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Preserving the Harvest
On Thursday, Oct. 20 from 6:15 - 7:45 p.m. in the Dripping Springs Community Library meeting room, see guest Hays County Master Gardener Marilyn McCray for this free talk on preserving the harvest. McCray is also a contributor to Edible Austin and Austin Woman Magazine.
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Discharge permit opposition continues BY MOSES LEOS III
news@haysfreepress.com
As a public hearing on the city of Dripping Springs’ wastewater treatment system draft permit looms, several local environmental groups opposing the plan are looking to the city of Austin for help. Earlier this month, six local environmental groups submitted a letter to the Austin City Council urging them to negotiate with the city of Dripping Springs to lessen the amount of discharge into Walnut Springs, which is a tributary of Onion Creek. In addition, the letter also asked the city of Austin to be a party in a contested case hearing on the city’s permit. “We appreciate the COA’s intention in negotiations with DS is to lessen water quality impact,” Angela Richter, interim director of the Save Barton Creek Association wrote in the letter. “However, we ask that the city not settle with DS for anything less than zero direct discharge.” In the letter, Richter said if a settlement is reached between Austin and Dripping Springs that allows more discharge than what was permitted for the Water Control Improvement District No.1 in Belterra, it could “set a new precedent whereby other development in Hays County will likely also try to discharge effluent directly into our creeks.” In Oct. 2015, the city applied with the TCEQ for a Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) permit for a new wastewater treatment plant, which has a capacity of 995,000 gallons per day, with any potential discharge going into Walnut Springs. The permit created a firestorm of opposition from area entities and environmental groups, including the BSEACD and the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District. Concerns were the potential recharge of the Trinity Aquifer by surface water, possibly from Onion Creek. Tesst have not determined whether surface water from Onion Creek recharges the aquifer. In August, the city an-
Last week, the Driftwood Historical Conservation Society became the latest entity to oppose the draft permit, with the society urging members to attend the Nov. 10 public hearing on the matter at the Dripping Springs Ranch Park.
nounced an agreement with Howard Ranch, which would receive 300,000 gallons per day of treated effluent for irrigation. The amount increased the total of committed beneficial reuse to appxoimately 600,000 gallons per day of the 995,000. Ginger Faught, Dripping Springs deputy city administrator, confirmed in an emailed response the city has had a “number of meetings and discussions” with the city of Austin, with discussions continuing. “The settlement discussions, however, are subject to a confidentiality agreement so that all parties may have a free and open dialogue in a settlement context. Therefore, we cannot comment on our specific discussions with the City,” Faught said in her email. While the city of Dripping Springs is seeking the permit, Faught said the city’s intent is to maximize reuse and minimize any discharge. She said the permit is a means to an end, and that wastewater reuse is critical for the “long-term sustainability of our community, and we believe, would ease the pressure on groundwater not being used for irrigation.” Faught said the city has in-place contracts for reuse and are negotiatiing additional
contracts and “making plans” for more reuse on government-owned property. She said the city has not yet completed all contracts that will use the full capacity of the proposed permit. Faught added the city is “well on our way and we are in active negotiations with entities that should get us to the full capacity.” “We would much prefer to spend limited resources on infrastructure construction that will assist us in achieving our goal of 100% reuse rather than fighting groups that assume we have some hidden agenda,” Faught said. The city estimates it would take eight years before Dripping Springs generates 600,000 gallons per day of treated effluent. “Although we believe we may have enough 210 (beneficial) reuse land identified for the full amount within the next year, the fact is that we will not be able to provide enough treated effluent for many years to meet the existing demand,” Faught said.Last month, TCEQ released the draft permit for the city’s new plant and determined that existing water quality uses “will not be impared by this permit action,” according to a city press release. But concern and opposition continues to grow from area groups. Last week, the Driftwood Historical Conservation Society became the latest entity to oppose the draft permit, with the society urging members to attend the Nov. 10 public hearing on the matter at the Dripping Springs Ranch Park. According to a Save Barton Creek Association press release, approximately 870 comments have been submitted to the TCEQ regarding the city’s permit. Sarah Faust, a member of Protect our Water, said in a statement there is concern the permit could affect domestic wells downstream of the city’s proposed discharge point. “A direct discharge would forever alter the water quality of the creek and the wildlife habitat it provides,” Faust said in her statement. Lynn Fitchner contributed to this article
One man was killed in a single vehicle accident Tuesday after his motorcycle traveled off of Ranch Road 12 south of Dripping Springs. Authorities have identified James C. Caudle, 55, as the victim in the single vehicle accident, Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Robbie Barrera said.
FATALITY, 2
Future plan set for Drip’ BY JONATHAN GONZALEZ news@haysfreepress.com
With the implementation of an updated Comprehensive Plan, the city of Dripping Springs is looking toward its future. Chris Holtkamp, a consultant with Holtkamp Planning, provided the council with a brief overview of the updated plan Oct. 11, which showed both short-term and long-term goals for the community.
PLAN, 5
Town center in the works in Dripping Springs BY JONATHAN GONZALEZ news@haysfreepress.com
Possible development of a new Dripping Springs Town Center is in the works, as the presentation for possible projects for a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) will hit the Dripping Springs City Council dais this week. The town center would be a shared space between city administration, Dripping Springs ISD administration, and potentially, the Dripping Springs Community Library. The site for the project is slated to go on land that’s owned by both the city and DSISD. “At this point, the concept for the Town Center is
TOWN CENTER, 2