The topic of water delivery to residents inside the county has come up during county election campaigns and even during the most recent Midland City Council planning session.
When the delivery of water is discussed, it often leads to a district created to ultimately provide water for those residents. It is called the Midland County Utility District or MCUD.
Here are some things to know about the Midland County Utility District offered in a question and answer with MCUD’s Shelton Viney.
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MRT: What is the Midland County Utility District?
MCUD: The Midland County Utility District (MCUD) is a special law district created under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution and confirmed by voters of the district in May of 2013. The MCUD service area consists of approximately 84.5 square miles of land in Midland County, just south and east of Midland City limits. The district is governed by a five-member board of directors elected under section 49.102 of the state water code.
Its mission is provide dependable, safe drinking water to the residents of the district. The population within the district is estimated at approximately 40,000 people. The district provides an affordable place to live for many of the community’s residents and workforce population. These residents and the many businesses in the district contribute to the overall success of the Midland Community.
MRT: Don’t these homes depend on groundwater?
MCUD: Over the past eight years, local groundwater wells in the district have become less reliable, resulting in many residents and businesses not having safe drinking water. Numerous residents are now regularly hauling water and storing it for use in their homes or businesses because their wells have run dry.
Several locations within the district have had their groundwater sources contaminated. These areas are under regulation from the Environmental Protection Agency, requiring water to be filtered and/or treated before it is suitable to drink or can be used in the home.
MRT: Are there other government entities involved?
MCUD: The district is grateful that the county and the city have expressed their concern for the lack of reliable drinking water within the district and have been cooperatively participating in developing a long-term solution for the good of the overall Midland community. The district board believes that a win-win solution is possible between the three entities that not only would benefit the residents within the district, but also all Midland residents living in the city limits and within the county.
In 2014, the groundwater resources within Midland County were evaluated and it was determined that there is not enough reliable groundwater within the county to sustain the population growth and increasing demand for water throughout the county. Therefore, the county studied potential water sources in the region and ultimately decided to purchase groundwater rights in Winkler County, approximately 12 miles away from the City of Midland’s T-Bar Well Field. With this purchase, the county commissioners stated that it was their hope that this additional groundwater would eventually be made available to all the residents in the county, including those living inside and outside the city limits.
MRT: How can the city factor in the delivery of water to county residents?
MCUD: The county and the city have continued to discuss the best way to utilize the community’s valuable water sources, it has been determined that the best use of the county’s water in Winkler County is to combine it with the city’s water resources in Winkler County. By combining the county’s water source in Winkler County with the city of Midland’s, the available water for the city is increased by approximately 50 percent from a projected supply of 40 years to 60 years.
With the City’s utility department controlling the County’s water supply in Winkler County, the production and transportation of the water to Midland can be done most efficiently and effectively. In return, the city will begin to provide wholesale water to the district from the city’s supply provided by the Colorado River Municipal Water District. The city has determined two locations within their existing water distribution system and one additional location within the city’s future system that can be tapped by the Midland County Utility District as wholesale delivery points within the county. This will provide a reliable, safe source for drinking water within the district.
MRT: Once water is set up, what’s the next step?
MCUD: With the source of reliable drinking water established, the Midland County Utility District is now able to begin development of a potable water utility system for its residents. The development of the system will be prioritized for the residents with the greatest need for water receiving services first and ultimately all district residents having access to a reliable, safe drinking water system.
The district will pursue all avenues of funding available for the development of the utility system. There are funding programs available through state and federal agencies for the areas with contamination. The district also will apply for other state and federal funds for other areas within the district that may qualify for specific programs
MRT: How will county residents be impacted financially?
MCUD: After all grant and assistance funding has been evaluated, the district will consider funding infrastructure development from users’ fees. The district will seek input from its residents before setting rates for purchase of drinking water. It is the intent of the district to provide drinking water to its residents at a rate that is affordable to them, while covering the operation and maintenance costs of the system. It is possible that the rates could also cover the cost of necessary installation of tanks, pump stations, piping, meters, etc.
Finally, after all other funding mechanisms have been fully vetted, the district may ask the voters within the district to approve the issuance of bonds at an election, which would increase property taxes if approved.
The district will continue to study all the financing options available to it to determine the best plan for funding the improvements needed to provide a reliable water supple to the community before the district asks the residents to approve any proposed bond program. However, the district wants to assure its residents that no bond program will be pursued without significant opportunity to receive input from its residents.
Again, the district is grateful for the spirit of cooperation and assistance in getting to this point from the county and the city. The entire community will benefit from these efforts by insuring all the community’s residents have safe and reliable drinking water for generations to come.