December 4, 2012

Wimberley considers wastewater discharge

The Wimberley City Council is hosting a meeting Wednesday, December 5th at 6 pm to consider public input about wastewater discharge into Deer Creek. Wimberley creeks flow to the Blanco, which recharges the Edwards Aquifer. Infrastructure decisions about water and roads have long term consequences. Healthy natural resources, flowing clean waters and scenic beauty are all essential components of the Wimberley economy. Helpful resources about water quality in the Hill Country including other debated discharge permits can be found here. Read the full notice and details about Wednesday’s meeting here.

December 3, 2012

Students map spills over recharge zone

A new interactive map created by students at Texas State University shows where sewer line breaks and overflows have dumped sewage over the recharge zone of the Edwards Aquifer in Bexar County since 2004. More from SA Express-News.

November 13, 2012

TX SWCDS Express Concern Over Current Sand Mining Operations

Texas soil and water conservation district directors representing 216 Texas SWCDs attending their 72nd Annual Meeting October 29-31 in Bastrop unanimously agreed through a resolution to seek legislation and the cooperative efforts of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to effect legislation and regulations requiring companies that commercially mine sand to be required to complete the reclamation of their mining operations for the purpose of maintaining air and water quality. More from Mason County News.

October 5, 2012

Public Meeting will address Water Quality concerns on the Pedernales River

A new sand and gravel operation along the Pedernales River, just downstream from Fredericksburg is seeking a permit through the Texas Pollution Discharge Elimination System at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). There have been over 50 comments of concern submitted to the TCEQ since the comment period opened earlier this year in May, leading the TCEQ to schedule a public meeting on the permit. The purpose of the meeting is for members of the public to present questions to the operators of Sunbelt Sand and for the TCEQ staff to hear and address public concerns about the permit. Learn More

June 25, 2012

Aquifer Alliance Applauds, Deplores Proposed Edwards Aquifer Authority Rules

The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance is encouraging participation in an EAA hearing that will be held this Wednesday, June 27th at 6pm in Hondo and Thursday in San Antonio. If approved, the proposed rule “will certainly increase the amount of fuels and other hazardous material stored on the Recharge Zone (ERZ), putting our water supply in peril”. Read more from GEAA.

May 18,2012

Nitrate Increasing in Barton Springs — and What We Can DO About It

Nitrate levels in Barton Springs have been increasing in recent years. And, according to a USGS report, a good deal of it is from wastewater sources.Read more from David Venhuizen.

February 21, 2012

Studies: Health risk from toxic pavement sealant greater than previously believed

When you think of pollution, you might picture an industrial center like Camden, N.J., or Jersey City. But new research shows that when it comes to a potent class of cancer-causing toxic chemicals, many American parking lots are a lot worse. As a result of being washed into waterways by stormwater, these chemicals’ concentrations have been rising over the last two decades, even as levels of most contaminants are headed down, Geological Survey researchers showed. Learn more from MSNBC.