Sewer system permits renewed, cityowned treatment plan still possibility

The city of Wimberley voted to renew the discharge permit associated with the wastewater system at the last city council meeting. The approval keeps the possibility of a city-owned wastewater treatment system.

The permit renewal is multifaceted and includes the current land application permit required for the plant at Blue Hole Regional Park that services Deer Creek of Wimberley and Blue Hole wastewater. The permit would have expired in February of 2020.

“We don’t know that we will have the current plant offline by then,” City Administrator Shawn Cox said.

The permit also includes the city-owned treatment plant plan. The permit did not need to be renewed until January of 2020, but the approval keeps open the possibility that the city could continue with the city-owned treatment plan instead of having effluent treated by Aqua Texas.

The council also approved the extension of permits that allows “pump and haul,” which is a method to have sewage removed from a property that does not have a septic system. The permits were originally granted to businesses that will hook up to the sewer system once it is online but did not have the proper septic system to handle sewage in the interim. The permits were supposed to expire soon, but this extension allows the businesses to keep operating while waiting on the sewer system. It was stated that only two businesses currently hold pump and haul permits. Other businesses around the Wimberley Square pump septic tanks regularly to keep their systems in compliance with TCEQ standards, but they are not required to have such a permit.

The city council also made Cox the primary contact for “matters related to the Central Wimberley Wastewater Project including but not limited to ongoing discussion with various State and local agencies, and current and future contracts,” according to the agenda packet description.

This new ordinance repealed an ordinance passed in August of 2018 that authorized the mayor, and in her absence the mayor pro tem, to investigate “cost savings initiatives and alternative methods of business for the city of Wimberley including the wastewater treatment project,” according to the ordinance.

In other city business, a Downtown District Committee was created with seven members. The council would appoint three downtown property or business owners to the committee, two residents of the city, one Wimberley Valley Chamber of Commerce representative and one Wimberley Merchants Association member.

The purpose of the committee is to “stimulate downtown economic development in Wimberley, Texas by encouraging cooperation and building leadership in the business community; creating a positive image for downtown by promoting the downtown as an exciting place to live, shop, work and invest; and guide and assist in improving the downtown appearance, mobility, safety, comfort, and environmental protection,” according to the agenda packet.

The city also approved for the parks’ staff to look into the potential acquisition of additional parkland. The approval did not commit any city funds to the project. Parks’ staff said that they are specifically interested in looking at a 287-acre property, which is for sale for $9.5 million, on the northern boundary of the city limits just past Wimberley High School.