Neighborhood Sewage Plant Plans Flushed, Council Collaboration Finds a Solution
Developer’s Plans for Sewage Treatment Plant Halted
Plans for a neighborhood sewage treatment plant in Hutto on Limmer Loop, that might have served the community, have been halted after excellent collaborative efforts between Hutto City Council and the city of Round Rock. This mutual intervention was intentionally orchestrated to effectively address the wastewater needs of the community and thus eliminated the need for a package plant. The initial plan for the package plant would have meant treated sewage flowing through an open channel adjacent to an elementary school.
“The partnership is such a fruitful one. Both cities are confronted with growth challenges and jointly, we can address some of these concerns and issues,” Hutto City Council Member Amberley Kolar said, champions the collaborative approach.
Issues Surrounding Wastewater Needs
The proposed neighborhood, which will be in front of Veterans Hill Elementary School on Limmer Loop, was formerly within Hutto’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and had petitioned for de-annexation. Even though the request was denied by the city, the area was effectively released from the ETJ with the aid of Senate Bill 2038 after a 45-day waiting period.
The developer, 705 Limmerloop JV LLC, interacted with Hutto in 2023, proposing tying the homes into the city’s wastewater lines. Contrarily, city resources revealed that the cost to extend the lines to their location was too prohibitive. The developers also reached out to Round Rock but were refused services since they were located within Hutto ETJ. As a result, the developers sought a permit from Texas Commission for Environmental Quality to build an onsite sewage plant, also known as a package plant.
In the past, the city has been fervently combatting a surge in ETJ package plant permits. This surge has been caused by infrastructure development not keeping pace with the speed of growth, along with the expenses of extending wastewater lines into remote areas.
Intercity Cooperation Provides Solution
Hutto City Council communicated with their counterparts in Round Rock and a discussion about a potential solution was held. Subsequently, an out-of-city service agreement was put in place between Round Rock and the developer to provide wastewater services.
Round Rock Director of Planning Bradley Dushkin affirmed that, “This property is a little diverse since it’s neither in the city’s ETJ nor is it in our CCN (Certificate of Convenience and Necessity) for water or wastewater. Thus, owing to its absence from an ETJ territory, the 200-unit development has landed in a ‘no man’s land’ for wastewater services.”
Prospects of the Agreement
The consent to the agreement won’t just benefit the location for wastewater services, but it would also promote housing supply in the area and ensure access to quality development adjoining the city, maintaining city standards. Additionally, it will provide the city with the necessary financial resources to accommodate the impact of new residents who will utilize city services and amenities. Plus, as part of the agreement, the developer will bear the costs of utility connection fees, roadway improvement costs, parkland fees, and many more.
One of the main concerns for Hutto has been the open roadside ditches for treated effluence. This new agreement ensures a closed system for sewage treatment, making it a more sanitary solution for all residents. Meanwhile, Hutto will continue monitoring progress, considering options to counter permits for an additional six package plants planned in the ETJ.
