WHAT IS BEING
and water needs, according to Allen. “We have ample supply and reserves now,” Allen said. “But we are also look- ing forwhere our next source is going to be. We are constantly looking for that.” However, with that additional growth, residents can likely expect to see their rates change as providers expand. According to Allen, water rates are always changing, and res- idents can expect to see their water bills increase from 5%-5.5% in the coming months across all water dis- tricts and utilities in the area. “Every entity is going to raise their rates,” Allen said. “When you have this much going on, that requires more personnel, more supplies, more pipes, more operations costs, and those rates do go up. It’s not because we are try- ing to pad our pockets, it is because we have to keep feeding the beast.” Council decisions In Cibolo, the city expects morato- rium discussion to continue over the next few months, which may lead to the passing of the moratorium. That will halt new residential development applications for around 90 days while the city comes up with solutions to infrastructure concerns, according to the city.
The passing of a moratorium would not halt projects and developments that have already been approved or are in the application process, mean- ing all current residential develop- ment will remain unaffected. During City Council meetings in January and December, city offi- cials have brainstormed solutions to build up city utilities such as water and wastewater to ensure it can han- dle the residential development and growth that the city is facing. Part of the improvement process involves city staff researching how other counties and cities manage growth and drafting regulations to have adequate public facilities. Rudolph Klein IV, Cibolo’s direc- tor of planning and engineering, presented the council with options to consider, including an example from Flower Mound near Dallas-Fort Worth, which implements limits on their wastewater capacity. “[Flower Mound] limits that, when a sewer system reaches 95% capacity in any element in their system, that the developer cannot tie into the sys- tem,” Klein said. Adding similar regulations into the Cibolo Unified Development Code would help the city keep wastewater
capacity at a manageable level, according to city staff. While the city has no set-in-stone plan for improving public facilities, they will continue to work on solu- tions and gathering evidence for the moratoriumover the next fewmonths. According to council, infrastructure is a focal point in their discussion, and addressing concerns would provide for a safer and better-looking city that can provide for those that live there. McBride said the best way to address new developments and those that have been in the area for a while is to find a balance between new and old infrastructure so that all custom- ers are taken care of. “It is all about finding that deli- cate balance,” McBride said. “Growth should pay for that new infrastruc- ture. You have people that paid into the system for a long time, and if there are upgrades that benefit them, then there is something that goes along with the rate increase. But, in large, our goal is to have this new devel- opment be responsible for providing that, creating a better balance.”
STORED? The Green Valley Special Utility District has a higher storage and water capacity than the amount recommended by the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality.
600
570
500
400
300
259.59
200
200
100
100
0
Elevated storage tank capacity
Total storage
For more information, visit communityimpact.com .
SOURCE: GREEN VALLEY SPECIAL UTILITY DISTRICT/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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NORTHEAST SAN ANTONIO METROCOM EDITION • FEBRUARY 2022
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