Tom 030810 Setawwa

Challenges Facing Challenges Facing The North Harris County Regional County Regional Water Authority Presented to Southeast Chapter of Texas AWWA March 8, 2010

What is the NHCRWA? (the Authority ) (the “Authority”) • Created in 1999 by HB 2965 to manage the conversion to surface manage the conversion to surface water for 160 utility districts with 450+ regulated groundwater wells 450+ regulated groundwater wells • 350 square miles, approximately 350 square miles, approximately 475,000 residents

NHCRWA BOUNDARY MAP NHCRWA BOUNDARY MAP

Challenges facing NHCRWA? (the Authority ) (the “Authority”) • Secure a Source of Surface Water Secure a Source of Surface Water • Develop a Groundwater Reduction Plan ( GRP ) Plan (“GRP”) • Groundwater Transfer Program • Provide the Infrastructure Provide the Infrastructure • Implementation • Pay for the System Pay for the System • Communication • 2020 System 2020 System

What WATER supply options did the Authority consider ? y Remote Groundwater Remote Groundwater River Authorities & Water Rights Resources City of Houston Cost Effective & Fair

Secure a Source of Challenges facing NHCRWA? Surface Water Surface Water (the Authority ) (the “Authority”) • In December 2003 entered into a In December 2003 entered into a long term contract with the City of Houston to provide treated of Houston to provide treated surface water • Purchased 31 MGD of treatment Purchased 31 MGD of treatment plant and transmission line capacity capacity • Pay proportionate share of raw water facilities remaining debt water facilities remaining debt

Secure a Source of Challenges facing NHCRWA? Surface Water Surface Water (the Authority ) (the “Authority”) • Pay portion of O&M for treatment facilities, raw water facilities and facilities raw water facilities and transmission line • Provides mechanism for Provides mechanism for purchasing additional capacity • In January 2009 effectively In January 2009 effectively exercised that option by entering into a supplement to the original into a supplement to the original contract to construct the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project

Secure a Source of Challenges facing NHCRWA? Surface Water Surface Water (the Authority ) (the “Authority”) • Anticipate further supplements to the original contract to provide for additional treatment capacity and transmission line capacity

Develop GRP • Detailed how the Authority would meet the Houston‐ Galveston Subsidence District (“HGSD”) conversion mandates ‐ 30% conversion in 2010 ‐ 70% conversion in 2020 ‐ 80% conversion in 2030 •CCompliance philosophy li hil h ‐ Impractical to deliver surface water to all districts water to all districts ‐ Address known areas of water quality and quantity issues

Develop GRP • Compliance philosophy (cont.) ‐ Serve a core compact area Serve a core, compact area, some 48 districts, in 2010 ‐ Phase in additional districts in 2020 and 2030 2020 d 2030 ‐ Build a technically sound, practical and economical practical and economical system to meet HGSD requirements ‐ I l Implement a fair pricing policy f i i i li to pay for the system • Authority’s GRP certified by Authority s GRP certified by HGSD – 6/11/03

Authority’s GRP called for its system to be built in phases and would consist of: • Approximately 38 miles of transmission line • Approximately 126 miles of distribution line • 3 Pump Stations • 4 Regional Water Plants • 32 Regional Wells • Estimated $1 billion program

Groundwater Transfer Program • In developing the GRP it became p g clear that some districts had water quality/quantity problems, declining water levels in their declining water levels in their well(s), aging infrastructure and/or g growth issues which had to be addressed before 2010 THE SOLUTION… THE SOLUTION The Groundwater Transfer Plan The “GTP” Th “GTP”

Q: What is the Groundwater Transfer Program • Districts with excess capacity sold water to Authority water to Authority • Districts that needed water bought water from Authority bought water from Authority • Authority made up supply deficits using its wells using its wells • System to convey the water consisted of components of the consisted of components of the Authority’s proposed 2010 Distribution System Distribution System

Benefits of the GTP • Addressed immediate and short‐term needs • Maximized investment in existing district infrastructure • Minimized investment in new district infrastructure which would have less than optimal usage • Minimized number of new wells • Primary system components consistent with ultimate Authority system

GTP in Operation… • GTP began operating in January 2006 J 2006 • Three separate GTP systems • 25 di i 25 districts participated in the i i di h GTP • D li Delivered an average of d f approximately 4.35 MGD to Buyer districts during 2009 B di i d i 2009

Provide the Infrastructure • Line Alignment • Design Criteria D i C it i • Real Estate Acquisition • Constituent Friendly Design C tit t F i dl D i • Schedule • Regulatory Agency Issues R l t A I • Mid Course Adjustment

Line Alignment • Traditional approach unacceptable • Alignment preference

Alignment Preference • Authority purchased easement • HCFCD easement HCFCD • Neighborhood streets • Thoroughfare street ROW Th hf ROW behind curb • Th Thoroughfare street ROW hf ROW in median • Th Thoroughfare street ROW under hf ROW d pavement

Line Alignment • Traditional approach unacceptable • Alignment preference • Alignment alternatives

Alignment Alternatives • Street ROW potential use must p be approved in advance • Minimum of two alternatives if street ROW use proposed • At least one alternative must not be in street ROW

Line Alignment • Traditional approach unacceptable • Alignment preference Ali f • Alignment alternatives • Non‐traditional alternatives N di i l l i utilized

Non‐ Non‐traditional Alternatives Utilized • Pi li Pipeline corridors id • CenterPoint corridors • HCFCD HCFCD corridors id

Line Alignment • Traditional approach unacceptable • Alignment preference Ali f • Alignment alternatives • Non‐traditional alternatives N di i l l i utilized • S l Selected alignments d li

Selected Alignments • Used preferred and non‐traditional corridors • Mix of corridor types varied from project to project

Design Criteria • Harris County’s standard design y g criteria didn’t address large diameter water lines • In cooperation with Harris County Public Infrastructure staff and West Harris County Regional y Water Authority’s consultant, , developed design criteria for large diameter water lines in County y ROW and easements

Real Estate Acquisition • System installed in a rapidly y p y changing area g • Used non‐standard “integrated approach” due to the tight time / g p schedule/alignment preferences • Utilized team consisting of very p experienced land “men”, , appraisers and attorneys

Real Estate Acquisition • Team worked in close consort with design engineers – new for g p both groups • Integrated real estate g considerations into design • Used condemnation only where y necessary and as a last resort

Constituent‐ Constituent‐Friendly Design • Reroute if necessary where practical • Tunnel to save large specimen trees • Locate above ground structures to minimize inconvenience to to minimize inconvenience to development • Schedule construction to minimize Schedule construction to minimize impact on schools, use of private yards, wildlife and livestock yards wildlife and livestock management, etc.

Schedule • Design began in mid 2003 • C Construction had to be initiated i h d b i ii d by end of 2003 • H d Had to place Groundwater l G d Transfer Program systems in service in January 2006 i i J 2006 • Had to have Authority’s system ready to provide surface water by d id f b the last quarter of 2009 – less than six years th i

Provide the Infrastructure • Line alignment • Design Criteria • Real Estate Acquisition • Constituent friendly design • Schedule • Regulatory agency issues • Mid course adjustment

Provide the Infrastructure • Line alignment Line alignment • Design Criteria • Real Estate Acquisition q • Constituent friendly design • Schedule • Regulatory agency issues Regulatory agency issues • Mid course adjustment

Mid Course Adjustment • In 2007 the Authority received y updated population and water p j demand projections which indicated a 21% increase in water use in 2010 • In response to the projected , increase in water use, the 2010 surface water conversion goal increased from 23.9 to 29 million gallons per day

Mid Course Adjustment • New demand projections for surface water increased the number of t i d th b f districts to be served from 48 to 60 • Increased size of the distribution Increased size of the distribution system by approximately 24% • Method of delivery to districts Method of delivery to districts changed from direct connect to delivery at the ground storage tank delivery at the ground storage tank using an air gap

The 2010 system will enable the use of surface water by 60 f f b 60 public water systems, and consists of: • Approximately 72 miles of various Approximately 72 miles of various type and size water line ranging in size from 12 inch to 60 inch in diameter size from 12‐inch to 60‐inch in diameter • 1 Regional Pump Station • 1 Regional Water Plant • 3 Regional Wells

Implementation • The Authority advised converting The Authority advised converting districts ‐ 60 in number ‐ that the phase in of surface water delivery phase‐in of surface water delivery would begin in the last quarter of 2009 • Districts had to convert to use of chloramines disinfection in order to use the surface water the Authority would provide

Implementation • Districts have had varying levels of success in timely negotiating the i ti l ti ti th regulatory requirements to use chloramines disinfection, building chloramines disinfection building their chloramination systems and placing them in service placing them in service To Our Customers... We’re Changing Our Water Disinfection Method

Implementation • The delayed ability of districts to use y y surface water, the physical location and size of those districts that are ready, and the need to provide groundwater to GTP participants that aren’t ready to receive surface water has delayed the conversion to surface water f

Implementation • The conversion has become more challenging than originally envisioned and ‐‐ despite the delay and resultant complexity of the conversion ‐‐ th l it f th i the Authority remains optimistic and committed to meeting the 30% committed to meeting the 30% conversion goal set by the HGSD

Paying for the System • NHCRWA has no taxing authority • R i Raises funds through pumpage f d h h fees and the sale of water • C Constituents urged Authority to i dA h i keep pumpage fees as low as possible…as long as possible ibl l ibl • Board of Directors commitment to equitable fee system i bl f

Paying for the System • Pumpage fee was initially set at $0.12 in 2000, has increased seven $0 12 in 2000 has increased seven times and as of January 1, 2010 fees are ‐ $1 /1 000 ll $1.75/1,000 gallons for f groundwater ‐ $2.20/1 000 gallons for $2.20/1,000 gallons for surface water • $457 million in revenue bonds have been sold h b ld

Communication • Given the scope of the program, effective communication with ff i i i ih both districts and residents was imperative i i • Difficult to get people’s attention on a topic that wasn’t on their i h ’ h i ‘radar’

Communication • The Authority used a multifaceted outreach program featuring: p g g ‐ Direct communication with districts ‐ Active web page with separate construction page ‐ Periodic newsletters to residents ‐ Town hall/neighborhood meetings Town hall/neighborhood meetings ‐ Neighborhood specific flyers on pending construction pending construction ‐ Extremely active public education program ‐ Speakers bureau ‐ Water Users Advisory Group

2020 System • Timely and effectively construct the 2020 system, which is almost twice 2020 t hi h i l tt i the size of the 2010 system • Continue to search out ways to build Continue to search out ways to build the 2020 system as cost effectively as possible…and thereby keep the as possible and thereby keep the cost of water as low as practical • Apply lessons learned during Apply lessons learned during development and implementation of y y the 2010 system to the 2020 system

Questions? Q ti ?

3648 FM 1960 West 3648 FM 1960 West Suite 110 Houston, TX 77068 281‐440‐ 281‐440‐3924 www.nhcrwa.com www.StopTheDrop.org St Th D

Tom 030810 Setawwa

by Southeast Chapter of Texas AWWA on Mar 22, 2010

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Tom 030810 Setawwa — Presentation Transcript