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By: Jenni Lee KVUE Defenders Reportor 7-17-24 During an interview with KVUE News in Austin, GEAA’s Technical Director Mike Clifford shares concerns regarding Milestone Community Builders, an Austin developer who plans to build a wastewater treatment plant near FM 1626 and State Highway 45. The plant would serve the builder’s proposed Hays Commons Development, a residential and commercial proposal that sits on 500-plus acres of land.  “They’re going to be irrigating treated sewage over the recharge zone where we are here. And when you do that … if the soils aren’t thick enough, it will just leach down into the aquifer,”

The locals in this area are facing upcoming TCEQ wastewater permits, with a public meeting occurring on June 13 for the Villages at Grape Creek permit. Thanks to Pedernales River Alliance for hosting this meeting! More information can be found at https://www.pedernalesriveralliance.org/…/whats…/

KVUE May 21, 2024Groups opposing the plan say there isn’t enough water to support the development. “They’re asking for more than twice as much water than they need, taking it from the already stressed Trinity Aquifer and the Pedernales River,” said Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance Technical Director Mike Clifford. https://www.kvue.com/article/money/economy/boomtown-2040/mirasol-springs-development-protest/269-fcb26237-fa0d-431b-a4d0-71269463aad6

Texas Public Radio| By Texas Water Symposium On April 11, the Hill Country Alliance and Schreiner University hosted their annual Texas Water Symposium on these challenges… and solutions. You can listen to this forum audio using the player at the top of this page in the link here. Thanks to Hill Country Alliance for another valuable community discussion! Moderator: Marisa Bruno, Hill Country Alliance Panelists:

San Antonio Express News/Steve Lee April 23,2024On April 10, the EPA issued its first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standards to protect against harmful perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, commonly called forever chemicals because they don’t break down and can persist in soil, water and even human blood. As stated in the article “The new EPA standard should become a material factor in the wastewater permit decision, and there should be no talk of concessions or settlement. Our water supply and our health depend upon it.” https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/commentary/article/guajolote-ranch-water-quality-19416395.php?utm_source=marketing&utm_medium=copy-url-link&utm_campaign=article-share&hash=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXhwcmVzc25ld3MuY29tL29waW5pb24vY29tbWVudGFyeS9hcnRpY2xlL2d1YWpvbG90ZS1yYW5jaC13YXRlci1xdWFsaXR5LTE5NDE2Mzk1LnBocA%3D%3D&time=MTcxMzg4NDI1Mzc0MQ%3D%3D&rid=NGRhMDUzZjgtNTAwNS00YTQ3LWE2YTgtYTkyYjljNzczMWYx&sharecount=MQ%3D%3D