The zero discharge myth
There is no such thing as “zero discharge.” Treated effluent ends up in one of two places: discharged directly into a waterway; or land applied. The questions to be answered are: 1) What will be the quality of the treated effluent?; and 2) Where will it be discharged?
Aqua Texas currently applies a Type 2 effluent onto the Quicksand Golf Course and is permitted to a rate of up to 250,000 gallons per day. According to TCEQ, the effluent piping is flushed after each irrigation event daily with potable well water to clean the water lines and the irrigation heads of solids contained in the effluent. The well water also serves the function of diluting the effluent to reduce complaints from odors. This effluent then soaks into the ground and potentially into our aquifer. During periods of heavy rainfall, there is the possibility for the diluted effluent to run off into the wet and dry creeks which meander through the golf course. The diluted effluent then enters from Hog Creek, near the 10th tee, into Cypress Creek, about 200 feet from the low water crossing in Woodcreek. The City/AT option will continue to dump effluent onto the golf course and the only remaining questions are: What will be the higher rate? and will it be Type 1 or Type 2 effluent?
The City-Owned option was a design for Type 1 effluent (with extra treatment to reduce phosphates and nitrates and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection treatment to kill pathogens) for use on the soccer fields and other locations within Blue Hole Park.
Which effluent would you prefer to have in your neighborhood? And why would you run raw sewage under Cypress Creek when other options are available?
In the September 13th edition of the Wimberley View Mayor’s Corner, the Mayor ended the article, “Zero Discharge” with the statement “My position is and will always be Zero Discharge into the Blanco River – not today, not tomorrow, not ever!” It appears the Mayor’s definition of Zero Discharge is “it is OK in Woodcreek’s backyard (the Quicksand Golf Course), but not in Wimberley’s backyard (Blue Hole Park).”
The true discharge that isn’t being talked about is the regular, illegal discharge of raw sewage from the Woodcreek collection system. The Woodcreek system discharges untreated sewage by the thousands of gallons, multiple times each year. Despite being fined by TCEQ on two occasions now, Aqua has not been willing to do the things necessary to curtail those discharges, and until they do, it will continue to pollute the Woodcreek neighborhood. Adding the volume from Wimberley’s Central Business District (CBD) has the potential to increase the likelihood of these occurrences. The Mayor and City Council have ignored the impact that Wimberley’s revised sewage treatment plan could have on Woodcreek, assuming the increased load will have no impact. I doubt the question has ever been considered. How do they justify doing business with AT, who cannot or will not get its house in order?
For the residents of Woodcreek, the golf course is literally their backyard. According to the revised Wimberley sewage disposal plan, the treated effluent from Wimberley’s CBD will also now end up in their backyard.
Sincerely,
Robert Tinstman