North - Northwest Austin Edition | March 2024

BY KATY MCAFEE & BEN THOMPSON

City faces budget deficit; cuts ahead

Austin Water expands water reuse strategies Backing up Austin Water’s efforts to expand the local use of reclaimed water systems, city officials signed off on a residential rate increase and new development policies for water reuse in March. The setup Water reclamation involves water that has already been used, such as sewage or other waste- water, that’s recycled for nondrinking purposes. What happened As part of the AW GoPurple initiative, named after the purple pipes that carry reclaimed water, City Council approved several program changes March 12. Those included: • Adding a new AW residential charge of $0.15 per thousand gallons used to fund GoPurple, estimated at a monthly impact of $1.47 for the average customer

"I think we’re going to see lots of things change over time where what we’re doing with reclaimed water is going to make an enormous dierence for the families and the business

Austin faces a projected budget deficit this year, and some city programs could be at risk. The big picture City staff suggested a tighter spending plan may be needed this year due to dwindling sales tax collections. Officials will also be dealing with the end of federal relief they used for historic homeless- ness investments and other priorities. More than $188 million from the American Rescue Plan Act must be spent by the end of 2026. Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea said the county must also contend with the loss of “essential” services while facing the end of nearly $250 million of ARPA reserves. More city budgeting updates are expected in April. Council’s annual financial planning will take place in the summer.

owners who adopt it." ALISON ALTER, DISTRICT 10 COUNCIL MEMBER

• Setting new on-site water reuse requirements for bigger developments in the city • Incentivizing the inclusion of reclaimed systems in new projects AW projects that on-site water reuse will save Austin 6 million gallons of drinking water per day by 2040, while communitywide reclaimed water systems will save 10 million gallons daily. The new residential GoPurple Community Benefit Charge will apply citywide but exempts Austin Water’s more than 51,000 customers on its lower-income assistance program.

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