Hutto ISD, neighbors fight wastewater treatment plant near elementary school

by: Mercedez Hernandez

Posted: May 13, 2023 / 09:59 PM CDT

Updated: May 13, 2023 / 09:59 PM CDT

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Residents in the Siena neighborhood in the Round Rock and Hutto area are fighting a wastewater treatment plant to be built nearby. They say the plant would negatively impact air and water quality and poses a risk to a nearby elementary school.

705 Limmer Loop, LLC. has submitted a water quality permit application to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for its site near Limmer Loop and E. Etna Way in Williamson County.

According to the application, the plant would discharge up to 50,000 gallons of treated wastewater per day if approved. That runoff would be released into a drainage ditch, tributary, then McNutt Creek, and Brushy Creek.

As of Friday, the TCEQ gave preliminary approval of the permit citing waterways would "not be impaired" by the plant's operations.

The company said the wastewater plant has been proposed to support a 170-townhome development. It said this plant is its only option for wastewater services after it was denied service from the City of Round Rock.

"Some residents may be confused: If TCEQ grants a permit this will be a small package plant to provide wastewater services for the 170 affordable townhomes in this development. The city of Round Rock refuses to connect wastewater services to the existing pipe on the land, so a TCEQ permit was the only option. If approved, a professional wastewater operator would run the plant. The first round of public comment with TCEQ is now over and a second round will begin soon to ensure community concerns are addressed."

The City of Round Rock says the plot of land the facility would be built on is not in its jurisdiction and is in an Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction – an unincorporated part of Williamson County.

The company's permit application also shows the location to be in Williamson County, not in Round Rock city limits.

The plant site would be directly across from Veterans’ Hill Elementary School in the Hutto Independent School District.

The district already has already declared its opposition to the plant and that it intends to keep making public comments against it.

Neighbors like Jordan Johnson said they plan to keep making comments as well. Johnson has lived in the area for several years and is worried about the environmental impact of the site.

"All of these homes are going to be affected. And it's not just gonna be where the where the proximity of the wastewater treatment plant is. It's going to be everywhere that discharge runoff that they’re proposing to go through the mud district and through our Greenbelt," Johnson said.

The TCEQ is still accepting public comments on the permit application. Find the link to comment here.

Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.