PRESENTER: Presenter
Scott McClelland, Assistant Transportation & Capital Improvements Director
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SUBJECT: Title
Presentation and possible direction on the Non-Standard Service Agreement between the City of New Braunfels and Green Valley Special Utility District
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation & Capital Improvements
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COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: 2
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Sports Complex (Phase 1) will require irrigation of approximately 50 acres of turf. In order to properly maintain the investment in the turf, a significant amount of water will be required on an annual basis. Over the last several years, the City has been working with Green Valley Special Utility District (GVSUD) to find an irrigation solution for the Sports Complex that addresses the financial concerns of irrigating the 50 acres of turf in the complex, but also addresses the environmental and natural resource concerns that come with using potable water for irrigation. It was determined that utilizing reclaimed water would be the best way to manage both the financial and natural resources for the City.
In early 2023 GVSUD finalized an agreement with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) to secure the rights to 350 ac-ft/year of Type 2 reclaimed water. This reclaimed water is currently being delivered to the Calpine Guadalupe power plant on Weil Road near FM 1044. The reclaimed water transmission line is less than a mile away from the Sports Complex site along FM 1044.
GVSUD has developed a preliminary design to create a reclaimed water system that will be owned and maintained by GVSUD and will supply the Sports Complex with Type 1 reclaimed water to be used for all irrigation onsite. The system will consist of a transmission pipeline along FM 1044, a GVSUD water storage tank, and a small treatment facility to treat the water from Type 2 reclaimed water to Type 1 reclaimed water.
GVSUD staff expects the GVSUD Board to participate in an upsize of the transmission pipeline to provide for future capacity in the GVSUD reclaimed water system. With this participation by GVSUD, the anticipated initial cost (connection fee) to the City will be $2,783,164. The water rate charged on a monthly basis will be calculated off of the O&M costs GVSUD incurs, similar to a potable water rate. GVSUD has estimated that the volumetric charge for the reclaimed water will be approximately 33% of the volumetric rate for potable water. The connection fee for the reclaimed system is also estimated to be approximately $1 million less than the potable water system connection.
The City and GVSUD are in final discussions regarding the terms of the Non-Standard Service Agreement and expect the GVSUD Board to take action at their September Board meeting on September 28th. City staff expects to bring the agreement to Council to approve in October, pending GVSUD Board approval.
ISSUE:
Provide irrigation water for the Sports Complex while being good stewards of natural and financial resources.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The anticipated cost for the connection fee associated with the Non-Standard Service Agreement is $2,783,164 and is included in the Sports Complex Project budget.
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RECOMMENDATION:
N/A