AUSTIN, Texas —
State environmental regulators weighed in on a years-long dispute involving the cause of excessive algae growth in the South San Gabriel River in Liberty Hill Thursday afternoon.
It's a story the KVUE Defenders have been tracking since 2018.
Commissioners with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) voted unanimously to approve the city of Liberty Hill's wastewater discharge permit. The approval comes with the stipulation that the facility must reduce how much phosphorus is discharged into the river. Phosphorus leads to rapid algae growth.
Commissioners voted to reduce the phosphorus level from 0.15 milligrams per liter to 0.02 milligrams per liter. The decision may be appealed by leaders in Liberty Hill.
Georgetown residents Dave and Louise Bunnell live about two and a half miles downstream from the Liberty Hill Wastewater Treatment Plant. They and other residents have not been able to use the river due of the excessive growth of algae.
Dave Bunnell said that while the ruling is a victory, there is still a long way to go.
“That's our biggest concern is Liberty Hill has not shown a willingness to be compliant in the past. Will they be compliant with this new phosphorus level? Their contention is it's unachievable. But there are certainly methods, proven methods, that would allow them to get to the point zero to phosphorus level, including the clearance technology, which they've looked at. They also should be utilizing their permit for reuse, which they're currently not maximizing at all. And that's another way that they can help reduce the phosphorus level," Dave Bunnell said. "Now, the fact that it's down to 0.02 is very helpful, but that also allows this permit allows them to go from two million gallons a day of effluent in the river to four million."
Attorney Rudy Metayer said the decision came as a surprise for Liberty Hill leaders.
"Shocked, flabbergasted, disappointed by the decision. You have a decision that is unprecedented in the history of this state that doesn't follow the facts, science or the law in this case. In fact, this isn’t just a decision that affects Liberty Hill but it affects cities all across the state of Texas,” Metayer said.
Metayer said the Liberty Hill City Council will decide in the coming weeks if they plan to appeal this decision.
TCEQ Chairman Jon Niermann said there is no deadline for Liberty Hill to comply with the lower phosphorus limit.
“There's not a treatment technology that can be readily deployed to meet this limit. We are not going to have compliance overnight,” Niermann said.