What could go wrong?
If we let our neighbors rely too much on groundwater it will cause irreversible subsidence and huge water table drops that make well pumping more costly. (We should just pump the recharge rate).
Background
Reduce groundwater use to a sustainable level that doesn't cause subsidence. LSGCD is required to consider 9 factors when they evaluate groundwater pumping decisions. Controlling subsidence is one of them. The other, that they seem more concerned with is private property rights.
The property rights of homeowners in Montgomery County are being infringed upon if subsidence isn’t controlled. We’ll be left paying for foundation damage and flood damage.
It's only the private property of a few private well owners who benefit from a singular focus on their private property rights to the exclusion of homeowners rights. Let your state representatives know how you feel on this issue and learn more about this issue for the November 2022 election when I majority of the Lone Star board is up for election.
What could go wrong?
People deciding on groundwater use may not be considering subsidence as a priority.
Background
Let your conservation district board know that you expect them to monitor subsidence in your community to protect you from damages in value through increased flood and faulting risk.
What could go wrong?
The economic viability of the Surface Water Treatment Plant is in question as courts allow 4 participants in the GRP contract to breach. The surface water treatment plant has already blown through some debt service reserve funds to repay the bonds issued to build it. If we have a lot of rain this summer (thus reducing the volume of water that the GRP can sell and cover debt service through sales) the plant could default.
Background
In order to build an infrastructure to address our county’s growing water needs a “Groundwater Reduction Plan” set out the terms for all large volume groundwater users to participate. The plan was to deliver surface water to densely populated areas and “over-convert” them to surface water so that the county as a whole could more cost-effectively comply with a groundwater pumping mandate that has since been thrown out.
This GRP plan had all large volume groundwater users contributing to the revenue bond that was sold to finance the construction of the plant. Several participants are now breaching that contract and the issue is before the courts. If the operator isn't being paid the plant will be uneconomic to operate.
Conroe and Magnolia are the two cities that are short paying the SJRA-GRP division. Quadvest and Woodlands Oaks are the two private utilities that aren't paying at all.
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