Gulf Coast Water Authority

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In 1965, the Texas Legislature created the Galveston County Water Authority to provide an adequate water supply for municipal, domestic, manufacturing, irrigation, and other useful purposes for the inhabitants and water users of Galveston County. In 1971, the Authority purchased the assets of Industrial Water Company. Industrial Water Company was incorporated in the State of Texas in December of 1946. The assets of Industrial Water Company, an office building, a 900 acre raw water reservoir, a canal, a raw water pump station, and a raw water distribution system that supplies the industries in Texas City were acquired by the Authority. During the same year, the Authority contracted with the Cities of Galveston and League City to supply up to 30 million gallons per day of potable water, which was purchased from the City of Houston and transported to the cities through a pump station in Webster. In 1981, the Galveston County Water Authority purchased the 18.0 million gallon per day potable water treatment plant that had been constructed by the City of Texas City. This water treatment plant supplies water to Texas City, La Marque, Dickinson ( WCID #1 ), Bacliff, Bayview, San Leon, Kemah, and HL&P's P.H. Robinson generating station through a transmission line constructed by the Authority. In 1987, the Authority agreed to purchase 25% of the Southeast Purification Plant being constructed by the City of Houston to ensure an adequate supply of water to the Cities of Galveston and League City. In 1988, the Authority purchased Canal Division of the Brazos River Authority. The canal division consists of approximately 150 miles of canals stretching from the Brazos River near Richmond, across Fort Bend and Brazoria Counties to the Authority's raw water reservoir located near Highway 146 in Texas City. The canal system consists of two interconnected canals: System A was constructed in 1908 and expanded in 1931 while System B was constructed in 1940. The Canal Division supplies both agricultural and industrial users including the industrial facilities at Chocolate Bayou and rice farmers along the canal system. With the purchase of the Canal Division, the Authority also obtained 212 million gallons per day in water rights from the Brazos River. In September 1991, the name of the Authority was changed to the Gulf Coast Water Authority. It was felt that the name change would allow better relations with other entities in Fort Bend and Brazoria Counties. In 1997, 1998, 1999, the management and control the Authority is vested in its Board of seven Directors who are appointed by the Commissioners Court of Galveston County. The City Council of Galveston may recommend one director, the Industrial Advisory Committee two directors, the Mainland Advisory Committee may recommend two directors, and the Commissioners Court appoints the other three members. Under the Laws of the State of Texas, three of the directors must be registered professional engineers. The General Manager conducts the daily operation of the Authority. The Authority employs 42 employees. The Authority has no power to levy taxes, but is authorized to issue revenue bonds to provide funds for projects that would fulfill the purposes for which the Authority was established. As a political subdivision of the State of Texas, the Authority cannot make a profit. All charges to customers are based on bond payments, lease payments, administrative, maintenance, and operating costs. Administrative, maintenance and operating costs are apportioned according to the amount of water used by each customer. Before the creation of Industrial Water Company, all water used in the County was supplied by wells. This was causing the ground to sink ( subsidence ). The substitution of surface water for ground water by industries in the late 1940's resulted in a large reduction in ground water usage. The acquisition of surface water supply by the Authority for the Cities of Galveston and League City in the earl