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City of Bryan Takes Bold Steps to Protect Water Resources

Protecting the waterways in Bryan, Texas is essential for sustaining local life and economy.

News Summary

The City of Bryan has initiated a formal protest and legal action against Upwell LLC to prevent significant water extraction from the Simsboro Aquifer. This decision aims to preserve the vital water resources of the Brazos Valley and involves local partners including Texas A&M University System and Brazos County. Concerns have been raised over the long-term sustainability of water supplies, prompting collaboration amongst local officials to safeguard both the quantity and quality of water against outside interests.

City of Bryan Takes Bold Steps to Protect Water Resources

In a move that showcases the determination of local leaders, the City of Bryan has launched a formal protest and legal action aimed at preventing out-of-state interests from potentially draining the water resources of the Brazos Valley. This initiative comes in partnership with several allies including the Texas A&M University System, Brazos County, and the City of College Station.

A Fight Against Water Depletion

The entity at the center of this controversy is Upwell LLC, a company based in San Francisco that has plans to extract up to a staggering 100,000 acre-feet of water annually from the Simsboro Aquifer. To give you some perspective, this amount is over twice the yearly water consumption of Bryan, Calvert, College Station, Franklin, and Hearne combined! Upwell is financially backed by over $1 billion from investors located in New York and Wall Street, raising alarms about the long-term sustainability of local water resources.

Mayor Bobby Gutierrez of Bryan has been vocal about the pressing need for long-term sustainability in managing the region’s water resources, highlighting that unchecked extraction from these supplies can have far-reaching effects.

Legal Developments and Local Concerns

On November 8, property owners in Robertson County, including UW Brazos Valley Farm LLC, filed a motion for summary judgment concerning the lawsuit, signaling a growing local commitment to protecting their water supply. Moreover, city councilors are clearly concerned, as they have expressed apprehensions over seven transport permit applications that could allow water exports from Robertson County, raising a red flag about potential negative impacts on the local water supply.

City staff members are warning that if action is not taken, it could drastically shift the city’s water management projections from a hopeful 50 years down to just 10 years. This would inevitably lead to increased costs for local water ratepayers, which is a burden no resident would want to shoulder.

Water Quality: A Community Focus

In another significant development, the residents of Bryan and College Station are currently receiving notifications about their water lines due to new regulations from the EPA aimed at eliminating lead in drinking water. The EPA has mandated the removal of all lead pipes within a decade, prompting local officials to identify the materials of both public and private water lines.

Approximately 17,000 residents in Bryan and 16,000 residents in College Station will be receiving postcards with information about their water lines. As of November 19, records showed that Bryan has confirmed 15,910 service lines made of non-lead material, while the status of 17,759 lines remains unknown.

Lead Concentration Levels

The city’s commitment to clean water is evident in the recorded lead concentration levels. Bryan has recorded lead levels at two parts per billion, which is significantly beneath the allowable limit of 15 parts per billion. The City of College Station reported an even lower level of 0.898 parts per billion and has not identified any lines made of lead.

Collaboration and Future Planning

In taking proactive steps, Bryan is working alongside the Brazos Valley Groundwater Conservation District to conduct hydrology studies that will help in managing the vital groundwater resources. A recommendation has also been made for an interlocal agreement that would allow Bryan, College Station, and Brazos County to share legal costs in opposition to the water permits sought by Upwell LLC and other water-selling companies.

This entire situation underscores the importance of safeguarding both the quantity and quality of water resources in Bryan and the surrounding areas. City officials are taking every precaution to ensure that the public is informed, while also explicitly requesting homeowners inspect their lines for material identification. Bryan’s public works director has clarified that there are currently no lead issues in the city’s water supply, providing some relief to concerned residents.

The steps taken by Bryan highlight the city’s commitment to protecting its water supply amid rising concerns over large-scale extraction by outsiders. The resilience and proactive measures by local leadership showcase a bright future ahead for the Brazos Valley’s water resources.