Patrick Rose

DEER CREEK RANCH COMMUNITY VS. WATER UTILITY

In the Summer of 2006, Deer Creek Ranch families went weeks without water.  Neighbors called Rep. Patrick Rose for help and he immediately coordinated the donation of a 5,200-gallon HEB tanker to transport water to the neighborhood for two and a half weeks.  He also reached out to the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) to commit surface water and a driver at a cost to the water utility.  Water deliveries began 24 hrs. after Rep. Rose first met with constituents about the water outage.

A Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) report released at that time showed 29 alleged violations from July 24, 2006 through August 8, 2006 by the private water utility; including a failure to provide minimum well capacity and a failure to provide a continuous and adequate supply of water.

Realizing that the neighbors needed the security of regular water deliveries while a long-term solution could be reached, Rep. Rose worked with the TCEQ to get the case referred to the Attorney General of Texas (AG) for legal action against the private water utility, Deer Creek Ranch Water Co., LLC.

The AG filed suit in District Court on October 6, 2006 and entered into an Agreed Temporary Injunction with the water company on November 7, 2006.  This temporary agreement set forth timelines and requirements for making improvements at the utility, including the approval of plans for constructing a line to connect with the LCRA’s Hamilton Pool Road water line and a new, additional ground storage tank at the facility.  It also required the utility to maintain a minimum of fifty percent of maximum capacity at the existing storage tank and required delivery of water as needed.  Numerous water-hauling companies have been making daily deliveries to Deer Creek Ranch while construction of the surface water line has taken place.

"The Attorney General’s team could not have been more effective.  They held this water utility accountable," said Rep. Rose.  "I worked with TxDOT to secure state right-of-way along Hamilton Pool Road for the project and worked with the LCRA to ensure that the utility entered into a water contract.  The AG and the LCRA have been invaluable partners in this process and I am grateful for their leadership."

As required by Travis County District Court, the AG and Deer Creek Ranch Water are in mediation to agree on a fine for the 2006 violations and to finalize a timeline for future, needed improvements at the utility.  If the talks are not successful, the AG has a court date set for April 14, at 9 a.m.

"With the new water line operational, we have made an important step forward.  I will continue to pressure this water utility to make infrastructure improvements that are needed in order to finally overcome almost 30 years of mismanagement.  These families’ quality of life, as well as their largest investment, their homes, is still at risk."