The City of Dripping Springs Wants to Discharge Treated Sewage into Pristine Onion Creek.

The City of Dripping Springs has applied for a direct discharge wastewater permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to dump treated sewage into Onion Creek — a staggering 995,000 gallons per day. This unprecedented measure would threaten the city’s drinking water and cause algae blooms that kill off wildlife from Dripping Springs to Austin. Onion Creek provides 40% of Barton Springs’ flow! For additional information hear from speakers at our October 2016 Rally.

As of December 2017

• The TCEQ Executive Director has decided that the permit to discharge wastewater into Onion Creek meets legal requirements. The “Response to Comment” has been published and is available here. Parties have requested a contested case hearing and are waiting to hear who will be given standing in this next legal step against the permit.
• Several groups and many individuals spoke against the plan at an Austin City Council meeting (Item 29) last month where City staff presented a very weak settlement option between the City of Austin and Dripping Springs. Thankfully, after hearing the concerns of environmental groups and citizens, the council voted to reject the settlement agreement!