Insight into Aqua Texas

Former Mayor Steve Thurber released a recap of a meeting he attended with Aqua Texas President Bob Laughman and a group of locals last week stating that Laughman would like to “get out” of the potential agreement offered to the city of Wimberley for wastewater treatment services.

Laughman told the Wimberley View that this characterization was the only part of Thurber’s summary, which covered a variety of topics surrounding the proposed city/Aqua Texas plan, that he “strongly disagreed with.”

“What I intended to say is this negative publicity has taken me by surprise, and I would love to get out of that,” Laughman said.

He went further to say that the offer Aqua Texas has made to the city was done with the intent of improving Aqua Texas’ image locally.

“I was trying to do a good thing,” Laughman said. “I am trying to improve the relationship between all of Wimberley Valley and Aqua and it’s backfired a bit. That doesn’t mean I want to get out of the deal, but it means what I tired to do as a good gesture has turned into a very negative reaction on Aqua.”

Laughman also stated that the proposed agreement with the city is not a significant economic impact for Aqua Texas. The proposal would call for Aqua Texas to upgrade to Type 1 effluent. Laughman said the $300,000 impact fee the city of Wimberley would pay to connect to Aqua Texas would be earmarked specifically for that upgrade, which he estimated would cost around $500,000. Laughman said that the cost estimate is “out of his hip pocket” as he has not gotten a professional estimate for the cost of the upgrade at this point.

Thurber’s summary points out that Aqua Texas has proposed an upgrade to Type 1 effluent, which while being treated to a higher quality than the current Type 2 is not to the enhanced standards of effluent treatment that the city of Wimberley’s treatment plant would produce.

As many involved in the wastewater project seem to expect, Laughman believes there will be lawsuits filed against the city if the city chooses to go with Aqua Texas for treatment of sewage.

“Lawsuits are something we avoid like a passion,” Laughman said. “…That is something that we are cognizant of and watching very closely.”

Purple pipe was also discussed. Laughman said that he has spoken with Wimberley Mayor Susan Jaggers and Wimberley ISD Superintendent Dwain York about the possibility of bringing purple pipe back to Blue Hole Regional Park and the new school at the corner of Winter’s Mill and Ranch Road 12. Laughman called the discussion “premature.”

“There has been discussions going on but there is nothing in terms of an agreement formulated,” Laughman said. “It makes a lot of sense and all of us want to do it but nothing has even been offered. It’s just working together to try and make this work if the city decides to go with Aqua Texas.”

York clarified the school district’s position during the last council meeting. He stated that the district is interested in Type 1 effluent at the new campus, but that very little discussion has happened up to this point. In an email to the city of Wimberley, York also stated “Wimberley ISD does not endorse or oppose any specific provider of such effluent.”