Posted: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 06:31 PM - 6,942 Readers

By: Valinda Bolton, State Representative

In November, two cities outside of Travis County wanted to save themselves four million dollars by dumping their wastewater into Lake Travis. I was outraged when they petitioned to have a decades old ban on discharging wastewater into the Highland Lakes lifted. They could not be allowed to contaminate the drinking water of over one million central Texans and jeopardize the livelihood of our small lakeside business owners who depend on a clean, clear lake to survive. To make matters worse, a record drought had caused a precipitous fall in lake levels, further hampering local businesses.

Working with the Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce, the Mayors of Lakeway and Austin, and our County Commissioners, I was successful in stopping Leander and Granite Shoals from discharging their wastewater into our lake. I'm proud that we saved the drinking water of one million Central Texans while keeping the lake that lakeside businesses depend on, clear and blue. But that near miss serves as a wakeup call to our community.

Now, four months later, El Nino rains have thankfully re-filled our lake and it retains its・ranking as one of the clearest lakes in Texas. But what almost happened four months ago highlights how important it is for all of us to be extra watchful of this limited natural resource. While there may be alternatives to oil and gas, there is no such thing as biodiesel water!

The environmental consequences of polluted water are obvious. However, what oft times is overlooked are the huge economic issues surrounding water... who has it, who gets it, what are the energy costs to move large quantities of water to users, and importantly will there be enough to go around? With Texas facing a budget deficit in excess of $10 billion, it's crucial that we recognize the costs associated with water and the part we can each play in developing a regional and statewide water plan that doesn't leave Central Texas high and dry!

The LCRA is currently working on just such a plan and will be holding hearings to request public comment on the most recent draft of its long-term Water Supply Resource Plan. The plan is a road-map for meeting the water needs of all through 2100.

Now is the time to let them hear from you. Whether you own a home or business on Lake Travis or live in Austin and expect to continue to have clean, plentiful water - you need to let your voices be heard. I can guarantee you that representatives of users outside our area will be asking for a share of our water.

LCRA is holding a public meeting on March 8 at the LCRA Service Center, 3505 Montopolis Dr., Building A. The open house will begin at 6 p.m. and public comment will be taken from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. If you are unable to attend, I urge you to fill out the public survey available online at www.lcra.org/watersupply. March 19th is the deadline to submit the survey.

Everyone in my district depends on Lake Travis in one way or another. The stakes have never been higher and each and every one of us needs to actively participate as the state plans for our future water needs.

State Representative Valinda Bolton can be reached by E-mail or 512-463-0652.