Water district serving cities of Buda, Kyle, others declares Stage 3 drought
Austin-area residents with water wells served by the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District must reduce groundwater pumping Oct. 1, with drought declared for the district in September.
What you need to know: These include the cities of Buda and Kyle, as well as individual well owners and water utilities.
What happened: The board of directors voted Sept. 11 to declare a Stage 3 exceptional drought for the second time in the board's 38-year history. The first time the board declared this level of drought was in December 2023, according to a news release from the board.
What's next? As a result, permitees must reduce the amount of water they are pumping from the aquifer by 30-100%, based on the type of permit they hold. The portion of the Edwards and Trinity Aquifers managed by the board is estimated to serve about 100,000 people.
On Paws Professional Pet Services offers doggy daycare, pet-sitting and boarding, plus dog-walking and dog taxi services.
The business celebrated its 10-year anniversary on Aug. 15.
Notable quote: “This is just a dream job for me,” Owner Stephanie Nelson said. “I'm so glad that I get to do this for a living, and I hope to keep helping people with their animals and helping the community.”
More notice required for public meetings under new Texas law
Cities, counties and school district boards across Texas are required to provide more notice for public meetings under a new state law aimed at increasing public participation in government affairs.
The details: Local government agencies must post meeting notices at least three business days in advance of the meeting, meaning weekends and holidays do not count toward the minimum posting period.
House Bill 1522, which became law Sept. 1, increases the notice requirement from 72 hours.
The law change is part of “an effort to promote government transparency and citizen participation,” Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, said during a May 13 legislative hearing.
The local impact: Some city and county governments across Community Impact’s coverage areas are changing their meeting schedules to comply with the new law, including:
Bastrop City Council
Conroe City Council
Fort Bend County Commissioners Court
Montgomery County Commissioners Court
The Woodlands Township
The new law does not dictate when local governments hold meetings, as long as they meet the three-day posting requirement.
