Wastewater discharge dispute flows on

BURNET, Texas (KXAN) - The Lower Colorado River Authority is voicing concern over the City of Burnet' s permit application to dump millions more gallons of treated wastewater into Hamilton Creek .

Spring fed water running through  the creek that eventually flows into Lake Travis is described as clean and clear by nearby residents and LCRA workers.

"Lake Travis as you know is pretty clear, it doesn't have a lot of nutrients coming in," said Lisa Hatzenbuehler, LCRA's water resource protection manager.

The City of Burnet has asked the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to double the treated wastewater it can discharge into the creek, but LCRA testing shows that could cause "significant degradation," even miles downstream.

"Putting a lot of phosphorous and nitrogen into the system, it just doesn't have any way to assimilate other than to grow algae," said Bryan Cook, LCRA's water resource protection supervisor, who holds a degree in aquatic biology.

In a letter the LCRA sent to TCEQ in February, it stated:  "The proposed discharges, even at higher treatment levels, could jeopardize water supplies."

"We worked with the LCRA, Lower Colorado River Authority and they ran our data through their software, which takes days to run, and they found there was very little affect," said Michael Steel, Burnet's city manager, in an interview with KXAN Monday.

Today by phone, he clarified and said LCRA told him it  [damage] would be minimal at higher treatment levels, except in times of drought.

The city currently has a permit to discharge more than 700,000 gallons of effluent into the creek each day.

It's something they have only done six times in the past six years, but its permit stipulates they must use most of their effluent for irrigiation.

The newly drafted permit would not have this special provision.

"Right now, they would be able to discharge 1.7 million gallons of water every single day," Hatzenbuehler said.

Haztenbuehler and the city are now working together to reach a settlement agreement that would insert similar provisions into the new permit.