SUBJECT: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)’s Annual Consolidated Water Quality (CWQ) Fee for FY16.
RECOMMENDATION: Authorize payment of the TCEQ invoice for $1,614,333.49 for the annual Consolidated Water Quality (CWQ) fee for the City’s wastewater treatment plants.
SPECIFIC EXPLANATION: This is a request to authorize payment of an invoice received from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for the annual Consolidated Water Quality (CWQ) fee that applies to the City of Houston’s wastewater treatment plants.
The current invoice covers the period from September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2016 corresponding to TCEQ’s fiscal year 2016. The annual assessment is based on the discharge permits for each wastewater treatment plant. The fee rate schedule is found in TCEQ’s regulations, - Title 30, Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 21: Water Quality Fees, Section 21.3 Fee Assessment. This became effective July 30, 2009 and is adjusted annually based on the consumer price index.
The revenue resulting from the Consolidated Water Quality Fee pays TCEQ’s expenses to inspect wastewater treatment facilities and to enforce the provisions of the Texas Water Code. It also funds comprehensive monitoring of water quality for each river basin, conducted under the Texas Clean Rivers Program.
Recommend that Council approve the Department of Public Works and Engineering’s request to pay TCEQ the invoiced amount of $1,614,333.49.