| Dear Neighbors,
As Austin Water customers you deserve reliable service and a sustainable water supply. That’s why I have worked to improve our delivery of essential services and bolster Austin’s resilience to climate change. In this newsletter, I want to update you on some water-related initiatives which serve these priorities.
In recent years, our community has experienced the loss of water service and several boil water notices. These events coincided with increased precipitation and/or extreme cold weather. We know that climate change increases the frequency of these extreme events and others, like drought and wildfire. My work with Austin Water (AW) has involved re-thinking our approach to community resilience and emergency preparedness, and together I believe we are building a more sustainable and better prepared water system.
Updating Austin’s Water Forward Plan In 2018, I helped steward adoption of Austin’s Water Forward Plan. Water Forward is a 100-year regional plan for managing our water supply as we face population growth and climate change. This plan was designed to incorporate community involvement and to be updated every five years, with the first update happening now. There were two community input workshops in January, with more planned for the coming months. Learn how to stay involved in the update process and sign up for email updates here, and on Austin Water’s social media channels.
Expansion of Purple Pipes On March 7th, I proudly cast my vote to expand our centralized reclaimed water system (purple pipe) and onsite water reuse requirements, and approve incentives for exempt development projects to participate. Purple pipe systems are key to the longevity of our water supply as we face climate change, population growth, and extreme drought, and their implementation aligns with the values and objectives identified in Water Forward. The City’s GoPurple program is projected to save a combined 16 million gallons of drinking water per day by 2040 through reclaimed water and onsite water reuse. Learn more about the changes and incentives here.
Austin Water Oversight Committee In 2019 I created the Austin Water Oversight Committee (AWOC), where I continue to serve, currently alongside Mayor Watson, Mayor Pro Tem Pool, and Council Member (Ryan) Alter. This committee reviews issues related to our water utility and works with AW staff on long and short-term planning for the future of our water supply. You can view recent meeting agendas here.
External Review of Austin Water After the February 2022 boil water incident, I initiated an external audit of Austin Water to identify what went wrong, how to prevent future failure, and how to improve the overall resilience of our utility. The audit, completed by the Center for Water and the Environment at the University of Texas at Austin, can be viewed here. The report provided recommendations for our utility’s hiring/compensation, organizational structure, operations/training, culture, and emergency management. Under Director Shay Roalson, Austin Water is implementing nearly all of these recommendations and has provided regular updates at AWOC meetings–view their latest update here. I continue to push for further actions to reduce remaining staff vacancies at our water plants, particularly at our Ullrich plant.
Smart Meter Implementation Austin Water is also installing smart water meters citywide through the My ATX Water program, with anticipated completion in 2025. As of March 18, District 10 had 20,413 smart meters installed of the district’s total meter population of over 26,000, and 81% of the city’s 250,000 analog meters have been exchanged. See if your smart meter installation has been scheduled using this map, and sign up for the My ATX Water portal, which provides up-to-date water usage metrics and leak alerts, here. My new water meter was installed last week and I am excited to access the information in the My ATX Water portal.
Together these efforts reflect a systemic shift in our thinking about emergency preparedness. Now, instead of reacting to past events and preparing for similar ones, our utility is focused on preparing for water quality and supply events we can’t fully anticipate. Many of the challenges Austin Water faces are not isolated to that department, or even to our City, and I am proud of our progress. I look forward to our continued work to improve our community’s resilience.
In the remainder of this letter, you will find safety tips for the upcoming eclipse, an opportunity to serve on the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities, and more.
Regards,
| | Alison Alter Council Member, District 10 | | Table of Contents
Featured District 10 Greenspace: Meet the Pease Park Troll!
Council Recap Meet the Finalists for the Austin City Manager Position Update on Police Contract Negotiations Update on City Response to Hate Federal Grant for Cap and Stitch Highlights from Council Meetings on Feb. 29 and March 7
Council Member Alter in the Community Celebrating International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month Fire/EMS Station Opening at Goodnight Ranch It’s My Park Day Stand up for Schools Luncheon United Way Anniversary
City Services Updates
Service and Public Input Opportunities
Announcements Prepare for the Eclipse Early “An Army of Women” Film Premiered at SXSW Summer Lifeguard Hiring/Training City Career Expo: Save the Date!
| | | | Featured District 10 Greenspace: Meet the Pease Park Troll! Malin, the Pease Park troll, is ready for visits! This sculpture, made by artist Thomas Dambo, is built from local, recycled, and repurposed materials. Stop by Kingsbury Commons to check it out. Find parking info and other details to plan your visit here. | | | | Meet the Finalists for the Austin City Manager Position The City of Austin is hosting an event to meet the two finalists for the Austin City Manager position: T.C. Broadnax, current City Manager of Dallas, and Sara Hensley, current City Manager of Denton and former Austin Interim City Manager and Parks and Recreation Department Director. The candidates will deliver remarks and answer questions. You can attend in person on Monday, March 25 at 6 p.m. at the Planning and Development Events Center (6301 Wilhelmina Delco Dr.) or watch live/recorded on ATXN. Learn more about the candidates/process and submit questions for the discussion here.
Update on Police Contract Negotiations The City of Austin and the Austin Police Association began new labor negotiations on March 13. Negotiation updates will be posted on the City’s website. I hope that these renewed negotiations will improve the retention and recruitment of our force, achieve improved oversight over police misconduct, and be as fiscally sound as possible. My priorities in this contract process are the same as before: codifying a legally enforceable and effective oversight system and addressing the department’s significant vacancies. As always, I will monitor contract negotiations and keep you updated.
Update on City Response to Hate My November newsletter summarized improvements to the City’s response to hate crimes and incidents, including my work initiating We All Belong, an anti-hate outreach and education campaign. The City Manager recently released a memo detailing additional work city staff have done in response to the resolution I authored directing improvements to the City’s response to any hate-related activity. You can read the update here.
Federal Grant for Cap and Stitch The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded the City of Austin $105,200,000 through the FY23 Neighborhood Access and Equity program. These funds will be used for the Cap and Stitch program, which will add a cap and public space over three city blocks of the reconstructed I-35 from César Chávez Street to 4th Street.
Here are some highlights from the Council meetings on February 29 and March 7:
Austin Reuse Warehouse: The City of Austin accepted a $4,000,000 grant from the EPA’s Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program. With this funding, we will open the Austin Reuse Warehouse, which will accept and redistribute gently used furniture for free to nonprofits, especially nonprofits that assist people in exiting homelessness. We hope to eventually create a furniture restoration workforce program for people with high barriers to employment.
Austin Public Library Resources: Council approved a contract that will enable Austin Public Library patrons to continue to access audiobooks, eBooks, streaming video, digital magazines, and other digital content on a single platform. Visit the Austin Public Library’s website to learn more about our libraries’ offerings and resources to Austinites of all ages!
Sustainable Lawn Care: I co-sponsored two items from Council Member Ryan Alter at the February 29 and March 7 council meetings that will move Austin closer to its net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal as outlined in the City’s Climate Equity Plan. Both items include direction for improvements to lawn care equipment, which historically runs on inefficient motors and fuel types and emits CO2. The first item directs the City Manager to prioritize low environmental impact options related to the City’s maintenance services and equipment. The second item directs the City Manager to investigate ways to expand the City’s current rebate program to include opportunities for residents and businesses to transition away from gas powered lawn equipment, including potential trade-in options.
Education on the City’s Water Wise Program: I co-sponsored a resolution from Council Member Kelly directing the City Manager to create an educational campaign for Austin Water’s rebate programs, including WaterWise Landscaping rebates, and recommend other water saving measures.
| | | | | Celebrating International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month In one of my favorite traditions at City Hall, each year I invite elected women with the City, County, Austin ISD, ACC, local judicial benches, and our state legislative delegation, alongside the City’s female executive and departmental leaders, to celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. Well over 100 women joined us to mark our shared successes and reflect on our work to bring more women into leadership roles.
We also celebrated Senator Judith Zaffirini’s historic achievement as the first female Dean of the Texas Senate. She is the first woman to serve in this role, but she will not be the last. | | | Fire/EMS Station Opening at Goodnight Ranch In 2018, I set an ambitious goal with then Council Member Delia Garza to build and staff 5 new Fire and EMS stations in 6 years. On March 2, we opened our 4th joint station at Goodnight Ranch that will improve response times and bolster our wildfire preparedness. The 5th station, Canyon Creek in District 10, is currently under construction. | | | It’s My Park Day I got my start as a parks advocate, and I love seeing volunteers out in our beloved ATX parks for It’s My Park Day! I stopped by Reed Playground and Perry Park in District 10. Already looking forward to the next It’s My Park Day this fall. | | | Stand up for Schools Luncheon I attended Austin Voices for Education and Youth’s annual Stand up for Schools Luncheon. Congratulations to the Hall of Fame Award recipients, Lloyd and Libby Doggett, and Thelma Williams! | | | United Way Anniversary It was a pleasure to celebrate 100 years of service to our community with United Way for Greater Austin! I am grateful for all they do, and for the chance to reconnect with my Leadership Austin classmates. | | | | | Deep Eddy Pool is Open Again! After a temporary closure for repairs, Deep Eddy Pool is open again! A wall in the pool was demolished, and a keyway dug to make room for a new wall. The pool also received new LED light fixtures with multiple brightness settings. Find updates and hours at AustinTexas.gov/Pools. | | | Updates to Howson and Old Quarry Libraries These beloved D10 libraries are scheduled for upgrades! Updates to the HVAC system at Howson Library are nearly complete, with roof replacement scheduled for this spring. Interior furniture will be upgraded by the early summer. The Old Quarry Library is in the planning stages for upgrades to the furniture and floor plan. | | | | | Public Hearing on the Environmental Investment Plan Austin’s Joint Sustainability Committee (JSC) has created a working group to develop recommendations for the Environmental Investment Plan. The JSC will host a public hearing on Wednesday, March 27 at 6 p.m. in the Council chambers to get input from the community. Members of the public will be able to speak in person or remotely for 3 minutes each and are also encouraged to share written suggestions via this form. | | | | D10 has a vacancy on the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities. This body advises the Council and City Manager regarding issues affecting persons with disabilities in the Austin area. If you are interested, please apply here, and then email District10@AustinTexas.gov summarizing your relevant experience and motivation for serving on the commission. | | | | | Prepare for the Eclipse Early Austin is in the path of totality for the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8! I highly recommend making a plan for where your family will be during the eclipse - our city is anticipating several minutes of darkness, and a high volume of traffic and visitors.
If you plan to view the eclipse, it is imperative that you use adequate eclipse glasses. My office has a limited number of glasses to share with community leaders who are able to distribute to their networks within the district. Please email district10@austintexas.gov if you are interested in coordinating a pickup.
Over the next few weeks there are many educational events related to the eclipse that you and your family may find of interest. I recently attended a pre-eclipse celebration hosted by the Simons Foundation and the Thinkery (two key partners in support of Eclipse related education) and invite you to find upcoming eclipse viewing and educational events hosted by the Joyful Learning Collaborative here.
I will share more eclipse related resources as well as more detailed information on the City’s response to my eclipse preparedness resolution in my next newsletter. | | | “An Army of Women” Film Premiered at SXSW I have long worked with survivors to reform Austin’s response to sexual assault. A documentary following several survivor-plaintiffs who fought for change in our local justice system premiered at SXSW! Learn more about the film and opportunities to view it here. | | | Summer Lifeguard Hiring/Training Austin Parks and Rec is hiring lifeguards for summer swim season! Positions start at $20.80 per hour. Lifeguard certification and recertification are offered year-round. Lifeguard training and hiring starts at age 15 and there is no age limit. Learn more about how to become a lifeguard at LifeguardAustin.com. | | | City Career Expo: Save the Date! Save the date–the 2024 City of Austin Career Expo will occur on Thursday, April 11, from 11 to 4 at the Palmer Events Center. There will be opportunities with private employers, state agencies, higher education and technical schools, temporary staffing agencies, and many smaller businesses for job seekers from all backgrounds, including justice-involved individuals, Veterans, Seniors (50+), and people with disabilities. |
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