ACTION ITEMS:
Water Academy/Organizing Meeting
Bastrop Library, May 30th, 7:00 pm
McKinney Roughs Permit Meeting
TCEQ Public Meeting
Cedar Creek, June 1, 6:00 pm
Environmental Stewardship
Files Comments to TCEQ
PFAS Compounds in the Colorado River
and Tributaries.
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TCEQ has given preliminary approval for two wastewater permits for 642,000 gallons per day of new discharges of treated wastewater to the Colorado River above Bastrop.
EPA is investigating whether to withdraw TCEQ's authority. Would this permitting constitute another example that TCEQ is abusing its authority?
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Greetings!
Keep Bastrop Boring, Friends of the Land, Austin Interfaith, and Environmental Stewardship invite you to attend a Water Academy and organizing meeting to prepare for:
- McKinney Roughs/Corix TCEQ Public Meeting,
- Updated on The Boring Company -- an Elon Musk company -- application for a wastewater permit,
- Per- and poly- fluoroamine Substance (PFAS) in the Colorado River and Tributaries, and
- The applications requests TCEQ approval to dispose of treated industrial and domestic wastewater onto the land and into the Colorado River just above the Hwy 969 bridge.
- How to make comments to the TCEQ.
- Other issues of concern to the Bastrop Region.
BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTIONS
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Read the flyer below for more information about the
Water Academy/Organizing Meeting May, 30, 2023
Bastrop Public Library, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
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McKinney Roughs Wastewater Permit
TCEQ Public Meeting, Thursday June 1, 6:00 PM
Cedar Creek High School Cafeteria
793 Union Chapel Road
Cedar Creek, Texas, 78612
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Environmental Stewardship Filed Comments
to TCEQ on McKinney Roughs Permit Application
Click here and get all the details.
DEADLINE FOR FILING WRITTEN COMMENTS:
June 1st, Close of Meeting
Members of the public are encouraged to submit written comments anytime during the meeting or by mail before the close of the public comment period to the Office of the Chief Clerk, TCEQ, Mail Code MC-105, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, TX 78711-3087 or electronically. Enter this PERMIT NO. WQ0013977001
Come to the Academy to learn how to submit comments
to TCEQ, or follow this link
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PFAS Compounds in the Colorado River and Tributaries.
Figures 1 and 2 below provide graphic representation of the data collected by Environmental Stewardship on the PFAS concentration found in the Colorado River Basin from Austin to Smithville, TX. Figure 1 is the concentration of PFAS compounds in the Colorado River. Figure 2 is the concentration found in major Tributaries from Onion Creek in Travis County to Piney Creek above Fisherman's Park in Bastrop, TX.
Each graph represents Total PFAS compounds at the sampling location, PFOA and PFOS compounds that EPS is proposing drinking water standards at 4.0 parts per trillion (ng/L). Most sampling sites on the river are at or above the proposed drinking water limits, whereas only two tributaries just below Austin -- Onion Creek and Gilleland Creeks -- are above the proposed limits. The sample below the Bastrop Wastewater Treatment plant discharge is the only location where concentrations in the river were below the drinking water limits proposed.
Helpful links to more information on PFAS compounds:
The unnamed tributary in McKinney Roughs Park where the Water Treatment Plant discharges is the notable exception where one particular PFPeA compound contributes 289 of the total of 290 ppt present in the tributary. The applicant for the McKinney Roughs Wastewater treatment plant needs to track down the source of this compound and determine how to limit the compound going into the plant, or determine a treatment practice to eliminate the compound from the treated wastewater being discharged into the tributary.
Helpful links to more information on PFPeA compounds:
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Figure 1. PFAS Concentrations in the Colorado River between Austin and Smithville, TX |
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Figure 2. PFAS Concentrations in Tributaries to the Colorado River below Austin, TX
Click to PDF PowerPoint of PFAS Project Results
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BRINGING SCIENCE to DECISION-MAKING |
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Request for Donations and Members
As we start the new year, we request that you keep Environmental Stewardship -- the work we do to protect your surface water, groundwater, coastal bays and estuaries -- in mind. Your generous tax-deductible donations are especially helpful as we make plans for the work we need to do in 2023-24.
When you donate to Environmental Stewardship (ES) you are helping us protect the planet, our local environment, and our communities from the impacts of climate change, municipal, and industrial development.
Also, as we prepare to address the local environmental issues discussed above, we are seeking new members who live in these areas, or have interests in these activities, to help us effectively advocate for the protection of our environmental resources, landowners' property rights, and their water wells.
Please consider joining as a member and make a donation to help us address these issues and keep you informed.
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On behalf our Board of Directors,
thank you for your help and participation.
Sincerely,
Steve Box
Board President and Executive Director
Environmental Stewardship
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Environmental Stewardship | A WATERKEEPER ALLIANCE Affiliate
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Our Mission
Environmental Stewardship is a charitable nonprofit organization whose purposes are to meet current and future needs of the environment and its inhabitants by protecting and enhancing the earth's natural resources; to restore and sustain ecological services using scientific information; and to encourage public stewardship through environmental education and outreach.
We are a Texas nonprofit 501(c) (3) charitable organization headquartered in Bastrop, Texas.
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