TCEQ Agreed Order Approved by Commissioners

In 2014, the City of Farmers Branch filed a complaint with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) alleging that Addison violated its water rights permit when developing the ponds at Vitruvian Park, resulting in a decrease in water flow in the Farmers Branch Creek. TCEQ staff reviewed the complaint and recommended Addison be fined $2,355. In February 2017, the TCEQ Commissioners decided to remand that draft agreed order back to staff for additional consideration. 

 

In September 2018, the Addison City Council approved a settlement agreement with the City of Farmers Branch in an effort to bring an end to the dispute. Among other things, the agreement required that Addison facilitate conveyance of property to serve as a new well site for the creek and pay for the preparation and construction of that well site. Farmers Branch would design and construct the well and water transmission line to draw water from the Trinity Aquifer to replace water at the Vitruvian Reservoirs. Once completed, Addison would pay 100% of the operational costs for the Trinity Well associated with meeting Addison’s minimum annual requirement under its TCEQ permit. Farmers Branch would pay 100% of the water that is pumped in excess of that minimum.

 

Once this agreement was in place, Addison staff worked with TCEQ to finalize the enforcement actions related to the draft agreed order that was remanded back to TCEQ staff in February 2017. On July 1, 2020, TCEQ Commissioners approved a final agreed order that requires Addison to: 

 

 

Addison has paid the fine and Addison and Farmers Branch are working together to finalize plans for constructing the well.