The Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District will consider rule changes next month to allow underground brackish water supplies to be considered as an alternative water source to meet a mandated reduction in the use of groundwater.

Montgomery County water providers are facing a 2016 deadline to reduce their use of groundwater by 30 percent in the county to help preserve the county’s dwindling water supply.

Several water providers asked the district to allow them to explore brackish water as an alternative to the three aquifers serving the county.

“The rule change is referencing the availability of brackish water to be used as an alternative source,” said Richard Tramm, president of the district. “We also will consider altering the deadlines in the Groundwater Reduction Plan.”

The brackish water is located about 2,500 to 3,000 feet underground, below the Evangeline, Chicot and Jasper aquifers that provide the only freshwater source for Montgomery County residents.

The district is considering excluding the brackish supply located in the Catahoula formation from the protected Gulf Coast Aquifer water source and allowing water providers to use the supply if it does not impact the quality or quantity of groundwater available in the county, said district attorney Brian Sledge.

In addition, the district plans to change the definition of brackish water from 1,500 millimeters of dissolved solids per liter to 1,000 millimeters of dissolved solids per liter, allowing less brackish water to qualify for alternative supplies.

Finally, the district will allow test wells to be drilled for brackish water without the need to obtain a permit from the Lone Star district.

Large water providers – those permitted to take more than 10 million annually from the aquifers – are facing a deadline to decide whether to join a countywide plan to meet the 30 percent reduction or to develop their own plans. Lone Star has given them until June 1 to decide their future plans to comply with the deadline.

The district has received 24 resolutions from water providers and four from municipal utility districts to extend the deadline from six months to two years to allow them to better explore the countywide contract offer, said Kathy Turner Jones, general manager of the district.

The San Jacinto River Authority is offering a group plan to reach the reduction by overconverting The Woodlands and Conroe to water from Lake Conroe, while allowing rural areas to remain on groundwater. The plan would be paid for through groundwater pumpage fees, estimated at 50 cents per 1,000 gallons for the initial conversion and up to $2 per 1,000 gallons for the overall  plan.

The water district has appointed a expert panel of four prominent hydrogeologists to look at the Catahoula formation and provide guidelines to the board on how it can be evaluated for use.

However, Mark Lowery, the district’s engineering consultant, said investigations by water providers of this supply can continue even without the guideline.

John Seifert of LBG, a member of the panel, said the formation appears to be separated from the three aquifers serving Montgomery County. Seifert classified the supply as  “modest” although the group has  been unable to determine whether it can provide a long-term supply.

Ken Conatser, general manager of MUD 3 and 4 as well as the Lake Conroe Hills and Lake South Water Supply, said the district is painting water providers in a corner.

It will cost about $500,000 to drill a test well and water companies do not want to make the investment if the brackish water supply can’t be used. They still face a June 1 from Lone Star to determine their future plans, and well as a May 1 deadline to join the San Jacinto option.

“We need more time to look for other sources,” said Woodloch Mayor Diane Lincoln, one of 50 people who crowded the Lone Star meeting Tuesday.  “We don’t have the funds to do the studies, so we have to look for grants. We also want to reduce consumption by looking at a reclamation plans. We hope you do take all this into consider with the resolution you pass today.”

The Lone Star Groundwater District initially announced its plans to seek a 30 percent reduction in groundwater use about four years ago and asked large water providers to develop plans on how they would meet the manadate.

The district will meet on April 13 at 10 a.m. at 207 W. Phillips, Suite 300, in Conroe

Lone Star Groundwater Rule Changes
The Lone Star Groundwater District will consider three rules changes at its April meeting involving the use of brackish water as an alternative water supply. Following are those changes.

Remove the brackish water supply in the Catahoula formation from  the protected Gulf Coast Aquifer System.
Allow the use of brackish water if it doesn’t impact the quality or quantity of freshwater aquifer.
Changes the definition of brackish water from 1,500 millimeter of dissolved solids per liter to 1,000 millimeters of dissolved solids per liter, allowing less brackish water to qualify for alternative supplies.

Source: The Lone Star Groundwater District