Posting Language
Title
Approve an ordinance amending the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Capital Delivery Services Special Revenue Fund (Ordinance No. 20240814-007) to accept and appropriate $50,000,000 in grant funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency through the Texas Department of Emergency Management and amending the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Capital Delivery Services Capital Budget (Ordinance No. 20240814-007) to transfer in and appropriate $50,000,000 for the South Austin Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant/Sand Hill Energy Center Flood Mitigation project. Funding: A City funding match of $65,000,000 is required and is available in the Austin Water, Austin Energy, and Transportation and Public Works Departments’ Capital Budgets.
De
Lead Department
Capital Delivery Services.
Fiscal Note
Funding in the amount of $50,000,000 is available from Federal Emergency Management Agency Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant. A City funding match of $65,000,000 is required and is available in the Austin Water, Austin Energy, and Transportation and Public Works Departments’ Capital Budgets. A fiscal note is attached.
For More Information:
James Snow, Director, Capital Delivery Services; Eric Bailey, Deputy Director, Capital Delivery Services; Craig McColloch, Capital Delivery Project Manager, Capital Delivery Services, (512) 974-2968.
Prior Council Action:
May 19, 2022 - City Council approved Resolution No. 20220519-030, which authorized the City Manager, or designee, to submit an application for the Fallwell Lane, Sand Hill Energy Center, and the South Austin Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Access and Flood Potential Mitigation projects on an 11-0 vote.
Additional Backup Information:
On October 31, 2013, and again on October 30, 2015, flood waters severely damaged Fallwell Lane and threatened the raw water intake structure at the Sand Hill Energy Center. Fallwell Lane is the sole access to the two plants. Austin Water’s South Austin Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) also suffered serious damage. Onion Creek flood waters inundated low areas as they flowed into the Colorado River and bank erosion was severe. Extensive restoration and stabilization were required.
Temporary measures were put in place to manage local traffic on Fallwell Lane. A permanent solution was needed to reconstruct and realign Fallwell Lane, retrofit water intake structures, and stabilize berms and channels around the two plants to guard against flood overflows from Onion Creek.
The project was split into two phases. Phase A realigns Fallwell Lane, relocates and extends water lines, and protects the Colorado Riverbank which is adjacent to Fallwell Lane. Phase A is funded and will be under construction in 2025.
Phase B of the project, known as the South Austin Regional WWTP/Sand Hill Energy Center Flood Mitigation project, will create berms, levees, and floodwalls to protect the two plants which are critical City infrastructure.
Pending Council approval of this item, the City will accept $50,000,000 in grant funds to implement the Phase B project. These grant funds are provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Assistance programs, including their BRIC grant, the Texas COVID-19 Pandemic grant (DR4485), and Flood Mitigation Assistance grant.
The total estimated budget for the Phase B project is approximately $115 million.
Delay in approving this grant award could impact the completion of the project, leaving the City’s critical infrastructure at risk of flooding. The levees around the two plant facilities are projected to be overtopped with the occurrence of a 100-year or greater flood event, resulting in a minimum 3-month shutdown of the two plants.
The General Fund will not be required to contribute additional funds beyond those currently budgeted to this grant. When the grant funds expire, the department’s need for continuing funding will be evaluated and may be denied.