Bandera endeavors to relocate wastewater treatment plant

To stay in compliance with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the City of Bandera revealed on December 6 it is working on a largescale, phased project to move its wastewater treatment plant out of the flood plain.

The current location is close to a section of the Medina River and is in the floodway.

Mayor Suzanne Schauman and Public Works Groundwater/ Wastewater Operator John Hegemier, have been involved in discussion and planning of the wastewater plant issue for several years, with The flood of 2016 bringing this matter into focus.

The estimated cost to relocate the wastewater treatment plant outside of the floodplain is $15,730,000. Land acquisition, environmental impact studies, permitting fees with TCEQ, engineering services, and other incidentals must all be finalized before true grand total costs for the project will be realized.

The city is seeking grant funding for this project from hazard mitigation grant programs, the Economic Development Agency, the Texas Water Development Board, and several no or low-interest loans.

The conditions of these grants and loans will require that the funds are used specifically for what they were allocated for and in a three-to-five-year period.

This timeframe is also the scope for this phased project to complete the relocation of the wastewater treatment plant.

In the City’s effort to receive optimal approval for said grants and loans, they will be conducting a survey of its citizens to request their household incomes.

“The current wastewater treatment plant is not working at full capacity and not in any violations so this is a projected plan for growth,” said Mayor Schauman.

City Administrator David Jordan added, “This is one of the city’s top priorities, and we are vigorously looking for funding.”