Lower Colorado River Authority (TX) News

AUSTIN, Texas – The Lower Colorado River Authority and its wholesale electric customers are offering grants of up to $50,000 for community projects throughout LCRA’s wholesale power, water and transmission service territory.

Applications for this round of Community Development Partnership Program grants are available online in July and must be submitted by midnight on July 31. Most grants are for $25,000 or less, but each grant cycle includes awards of several grants of up to $50,000. Applicants requesting more than $5,000 in grant funding must supply matching funds of at least 20 percent of the total project cost.

Eligible organizations include volunteer fire departments, emergency responders, local governments, schools, libraries, civic groups, museums and other nonprofit organizations. The grants are not available to individuals, for-profit entities, professional associations, social service projects or limited-use facilities.

Organizations in LCRA’s wholesale electric or water service areas have been eligible for CDPP grants in the past. Beginning in July, LCRA will expand grant eligibility to organizations in areas in which LCRA Transmission Services Corporation provides transmission services.

Organizations in all or part of the following counties are eligible for CDPP grants: Aransas, Austin, Bandera, Bastrop, Blanco, Brown, Burleson, Burnet, Caldwell, Callahan, Cameron, Coke, Coleman, Colorado, Comal, Concho, Coryell, Crane, Crockett, Culberson, DeWitt, Dimmit, Eastland, Ector, Edwards, Fayette, Gillespie, Goliad, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hamilton, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Lampasas, Lavaca, Lee, Llano, Mason, Matagorda, Maverick, McCulloch, Medina, Menard, Midland, Mills, Nolan, Nueces, Pecos, Real, San Patricio, San Saba, Schleicher, Starr, Sterling, Sutton, Taylor, Terrell, Tom Green, Travis, Upton, Uvalde, Val Verde, Waller, Washington, Wharton and Williamson. See lcra.org/cdpp for more information on eligibility requirements.

In the most recent round of grants, LCRA and its wholesale electric customers earlier this year awarded more than $525,000 to fund 28 projects, ranging from providing life-saving equipment to first responders to upgrading community halls to improving parks and Little League fields.

To date, LCRA and its wholesale electric customers have awarded 1,768 community grants totaling more than $46 million. When combined with the nearly $226 million in community-raised matching funds, the total investment in local projects reaches almost $272 million.

Applications and eligibility requirements are available at lcra.org/cdpp or by calling the program administrator at 800-776-5272, ext. 3140.

About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations. For more information, visit lcra.org.

Media Contact
Clara Tuma
512–578–3292
clara.tuma@lcra.org

BURNET COUNTY, Texas – Windermere Oaks Water Supply Corporation in Spicewood will implement two important water recycling projects with help from a $14,094 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority.

The cost-share grant will help Windermere Oaks WSC complete a $48,375 project to recycle about 50 percent of backwash water at its water treatment plant and begin using recycled water in the disinfection process at its wastewater treatment plant.

“Backwash water recycling will help reduce the amount of water we have to take out of Lake Travis,” said George Burriss, Windermere Oaks WSC general manager. “It’s good for us, the folks downstream and for the river.”

“The recycling project at the wastewater plant will allow us to save a couple thousand gallons of fresh potable water by using recycled wastewater during the chlorine disinfection process,” Burriss said. “Currently, the water being used is taken directly from the main water system.”

The two recycling projects are estimated to save about 12 acre-feet a year, or about 4 million gallons. Windermere Oaks WSC serves 263 retail customers.

"We calculated that this project will deliver an annual 3 percent savings in terms of the treated water we won't use under our contract with LCRA,” said Joe Gimenez, Windermere Oaks WSC board president. “These types of money- and water-saving projects warrant significant attention by non-profit corporations like ours. Reinvestments in operational efficiency are hard to come by and we appreciate LCRA enabling such a meaningful opportunity."

John Hofmann, LCRA executive vice president of Water, said LCRA is proud to support water conservation efforts such as the new projects at Windermere Oaks WSC.

“We applaud Windermere Oaks WSC for pursuing these projects,” Hofmann said. “This isn’t a huge project in terms of the amount of water saved, but it’s a perfect example of how we should all be looking for ways to conserve and use recycled water whenever we can. We encourage other local water suppliers to look for similar ways to use water more efficiently.”

Burriss said he is grateful for the grant and looks forward to the projects becoming a reality.

“This grant is a really good thing, and it helps us do a better job,” Burriss said. “Even though we buy our water from LCRA, they are helping us promote conservation and reduce waste. We appreciate what they are doing for us.”

The grants are awarded through LCRA's Firm Water Conservation Cost-Share Program, which provides funding for water efficiency projects and programs established by LCRA's firm water customers. Customers include cities, utilities, industries, irrigation and recreational water users. Projects funded through the program can include converting irrigated areas using raw or potable water to recycled water, and decreasing utility system water loss through flushing reductions, leak detection and repair, or other efforts.

About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations. For more information, visit lcra.org.

Media Contact
Clara Tuma
512–578–3292
clara.tuma@lcra.org