Posting Language
Title
Authorize negotiation and execution of the fourth amendment to the Agreement for Wholesale Wastewater Utility Service for the Comanche Canyon Ranch Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Planned Unit Development with Travis County Water Control and Improvement District No. 17 (WCID 17), allowing Austin Water to receive untreated wastewater for treatment, in place of treated wastewater currently provided under the existing agreement. This amendment supports WCID 17’s evaluation of decommissioning its treatment facility and reflects Austin Water’s ability to accommodate the operational change without additional efforts or cost. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact. WCID 17 will assume the costs for decommissioning its Comanche Canyon Ranch Wastewater Treatment Plant.
De
Lead Department
Austin Water.
Fiscal Note
Funding: This item has no fiscal impact. Austin Water can accommodate this operational change without additional effort or cost, and WCID 17 will assume any costs to decommission its treatment facility.
For More Information:
Vicky Addie, Austin Water Program Coordinator, 512-972-0332 or vicky.addie@austintexas.gov <mailto:vicky.addie@austintexas.gov>.
Prior Council Action
October 30, 2003 - Council authorized the negotiation and execution of a wholesale wastewater agreement with Travis County Water Control and Improvement District No. 17 for the provision of wholesale wastewater service to the proposed Comanche Canyon Ranch Planned Unit Development. The agreement has since been amended three times with council approval.
Council Committee, Boards and Commission Action:
October 14, 2026 - to be reviewed by the Water and Wastewater Commission.
Additional Backup Information:
Travis County Water Control and Improvement District No. 17 (WCID 17) provides water and wastewater services within its boundaries in northwest Travis County. The City and WCID 17 previously entered into wholesale agreements for portions of WCID 17’s service area.
In July 2004, the City and WCID 17 executed a wholesale wastewater service agreement for a portion of the WCID 17 service area comprising the Comanche Canyon Planned Unit Development (Comanche Canyon PUD) which includes single family, multi-family, and commercial customers. Through this agreement, Austin Water receives approximately 25,000 gallons per day of treated wastewater from the Comanche Canyon PUD, which has its own small treatment plant, and conveys it to Austin Water’s wastewater collection system for final treatment. The agreement has since been amended three times with Council approval, and this amendment would be the fourth.
WCID 17 is evaluating decommissioning its Comanche Canyon Ranch Wastewater Treatment Plant to improve system reliability and reduce the long-term environmental footprint of local treatment operations. WCID 17 is requesting an amendment to the current wholesale wastewater agreement allowing Austin Water to receive the same total volume of wastewater for treatment (25,000 gallons per day), without first passing through the Comanche Canyon plant.
Instead of conveying treated wastewater, WCID 17 would transition to sending untreated wastewater directly to the City of Austin’s system for treatment. Given the low volume, Austin Water is prepared to continue receiving this wastewater without incurring additional operating efforts or expenses.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends authorization of this amendment to the wholesale wastewater agreement as outlined above to promote system efficiency and to ensure a functioning ongoing relationship with a long-term partner.