Despite its apparently sudden and controversial emergence last year, in fact, Water Treatment Plant No. 4 has a long, contentious history, stretching back nearly three decades. Here’s a basic chronology. – W.D.
Late 1970s: City begins planning a new water treatment plant at Town Lake
1984: City purchases 240-acre Bull Creek site for construction of WTP4
1987: Black-capped vireo listed as an endangered species
1990: Golden-cheeked warbler listed as an endangered species
1993: City purchases Cortaña tract
1996: Federal Balcones Canyonlands Preserve created, to be co-managed by city and Travis Co.; Cortaña incorporated into BCP; WTP4 site at Bull Creek exempted
2001: Utility resumes planning for WTP4
2005: Jollyville salamander nominated for endangered-species listing; city announces decision to close Green Water Treatment Plant
2006, April: City announces plans to build new Green WTP at Roy G. Guerrero Colorado River Park
June: City Council abandons plan for Green, approves WTP4, approves water-conservation measures
August: BCP committees approve Cortaña construction, with conditions; Environmental Board recommends city continue looking for alternate site; board member Karin Ascot e-mails WTP4 team questioning site-selection process
Aug. 24: City Council approves WTP4 at Cortaña, pending county approval; city threatens to build at Bull Creek if county doesn’t approve Cortaña by Sept. 27
Sept. 5: WTP4 team responds to Ascot, without mentioning a potentially viable alternate WTP4 site
Oct. 4: County rejects city proposal to build on Cortaña tract
Nov. 1: Auditor issues report noting the additional Cortaña site not fully reviewed; Ascot was misled
2007, Jan.: City announces it will no longer pursue Cortaña site and begins site work at Bull Creek
2007, Feb.: Jollyville salamander to be considered for endangered-species listing, raising possibility of a lawsuit against plant construction
This article appears in February 23 • 2007.