Photo credit: Midland County Utility District

What happened: The Midland County Utility District (MCUD) board met on July 16 and called a $299,015,000 bond election for the Nov. 3 ballot, adopted the district’s first water rates, and approved spending $84,657 in district funds on a campaign to educate voters about the bond proposal.

Editor’s note: MCUD is not associated with Midland County government. It is a voter-created, taxpayer-supported public utility district. MCUD did not release the full video of its July 16 meeting until Aug. 11.

Key points:

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  • $299M bond election: The board officially called the Nov. 3 election asking voters to authorize up to $299,015,000 in bonds to acquire, build, and expand MCUD’s water system. The district could issue bonds in multiple rounds rather than all at once. Read The Permian Press’ coverage of what the $299 million bond would build here.
  • Long-term water system plan: Before calling the election, the board approved the engineering report laying out how MCUD could eventually build a public water system across its 84.5-square-mile service area. At full buildout around 2017, engineers project the system could serve almost 47,000 connections and require a maximum of just over 29 million gallons of water per day.

The $299 million bond would fund only the first portion of that much larger buildout. Read The Permian Press’ full coverage of the engineering report here.

  • First water rates: The board adopted MCUD’s first water rates. Residential customers will pay a minimum monthly bill of $34.89, including the first 2,000 gallons, plus $9.87 for each additional 1,000 gallons up to 10,000 gallons. Rates increase at higher levels of use.

MCUD General Manager Norman Ashton estimated that a typical household using 5,000 to 7,000 gallons per month would pay about $50 to $ 60. Read The Permian Press’ full coverage of the water rates here.

  • $84,657 bond education campaign: The board approved spending $84,657 in district funds on a campaign to educate voters about the November bond. The communications plan includes four mailers to about 6,000 residents, emails, text messages, video and social media ads, two bilingual town halls, yard signs and larger community signs, a community event, a bond information web page, and more.

The communications firm said it has a database of about 9,000 MCUD voters and plans to focus some outreach on residents who have voted in recent elections.

  • GISD project under budget: The board amended its water agreement with Greenwood ISD after the project came in below the original $5 million allowance. The final project cost was $4.7 million, reducing the amount GISD owes MCUD.
  • Park Water negotiations: The board authorized Ashton to enter into a letter of intent and its attorneys to withdraw from two related proceedings as MCUD works toward resolving its disputes with the private Park Water utilities. Read The Permian Press’ coverage of the end of the court battles here.
  • $21M water grant: MCUD applied to the Texas Water Development Board for about $21 million to build a water line. Ashton said Sen. Kevin Sparks submitted a letter supporting the application and the district expects one from Rep. Tom Craddick’s office.

MCUD is also seeking support from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which Ashton said has spent about $32 million since 2008 addressing groundwater contamination in the chromium plume area through filters and other work.

  • Water station, possible water trucks: Ashton said he expects MCUD’s new public water-fill station to begin operating within weeks. He also described discussions with Midland County about a broader water-delivery program for residents with home storage tanks. Ashton said county officials discussed purchasing water trucks, hiring drivers, and potentially making the program available countywide.