Water concerns take Lago Vista city council to the White House

Lago Vista, TX (KXAN) -- City councilmembers from Lago Vista are heading to the White House. The purpose: the fight for water.

"Because of Austin's growth, we're experiencing significant amount of growth that's putting a real strain on our water infrastructure, and that's both wastewater and drinking water," said councilmember Shane Saum.

Saum is scheduled to meet Tuesday with the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. The office acts as a liaison to city and county governments. Saum hopes the White House will help with their funding needs.

"They've been there for at least four years, and I think it'd be very beneficial for us to create those relationships, to hear more from them, and in a lot of ways, just ask questions and listen," Saum said.

Saum said he requested the meeting with the White House. He and two other members of the city council will be in Washington D.C. for meetings with Texas Senator John Cornyn and Texas Representative Michael McCaul.

Water infrastructure needs

The city of Lago Vista, like many small Texas towns, has older infrastructure. Austin's growth has led to rapid expansion in the area, putting that infrastructure under excess strain.

According to Saum, the population is 13,000 now, and if all the entitlements in the area are built out, that population could balloon to 40,000 in the next decade.

"Obviously, that's not something our infrastructure is ready for. Our water capacity and our wastewater capacity are both almost reaching 80% and so if you get to 90% the state starts triggering some things that you have to already be in the design phase," Saum said.

That includes wastewater expansion. The city's wastewater plant is in the process of going from processing one million gallons of water per day to one and a half million gallons per day. For drinking water, the city is trying to reach eight million gallons per day.

"To just do the engineering for the water weight waste treatment plant is nearly $3 million or 10% of our annual budgets," said councilmember Adam Benefield.

The councilmembers worry this cost would be a huge burden on local tax payers, hence the push for federal funds.

"It's small projects over time that create the larger expansion. I have to get an engineering study. I have to apply for grants. Well, that takes resources that a small town like ours doesn't really have, like a grant writer would be super helpful. We don't necessarily have that," Saum said. "So then I'm looking to the feds, or I'm looking to the state: 'Do you guys have any way that can work with us as a resource?'"

Saum said he doesn't think the federal government is aware of how the water crisis is impacting small towns, which is why this trip is so important.

"I think the rest of the country didn't really know about it until Texas started taking it out to them. And I think our water issues, it's going to be very similar. We need to be the ones to take that message to DC," Saum said.

While this administration's time is running short, Saum said that he hopes they can open the doors Lago Vista needs for the future.

"I've been in offices before where I knew it was my last month or so, and it kind of weighs on you. 'Like, 'man, this was a cool job, and I still want to get every second of this.' You know you're trying to do everything that you can to help people," Saum said.