July 27, 2017
C H ity of ouston------------------------ _______ Sylvester Tumer
Mayor
Stophsn C. Costello Chief Resilience O fficer P.O, Box 1S62 Houston, Texas 77251-156 832-393-0811 {office) www.houstontx.gov
Mark Wyatt Director, Program Administration Water Supply and infrastructure Texas Water Development Board 1700 North Congress Avenue Austin, Texas 78711-3231
Dear Mr. Wyatt,
I write to further clarify how project activities for which the City of Houston seeks Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF) improve water quality and are therefore eligible under the Water Resources Reform and Development Act.
Bridge modifications, integral to the project's channel widening activities, will improve water quality in the Brays Bayou watershed. As water levels in the channel are lowered, the existing storm sewer system becomes more efficient and there is decreased risk of sanitary sewer overflows caused by inundation from heavy localized rainfall. These infrastructure improvements, combined with the city's ongoing investment in improving neighborhood drainage, will significantly reduce the frequency of sanitary sewer overflows.
In larger regional flooding events, unimproved channel and bridge obstructions result in overbank flooding. Overbank flooding inundates surrounding neighborhoods causing stormwater infiltration into the sanitary sewer system. Bridge modifications and channel improvements will reduce the frequency of potential flooding and lessen the risk of sanitary sewer overflows caused by water exceeding top of bank.
Further, bridge modifications will widen the earthen portion of the proposed channel section. During non flood stage, grass will serve as a filter, like a bioswale, for runoff sediment before it reaches Galveston Bay.
Improving water quality is a key goal of the city's proposed CWSRF activities; therefore, i urge the Texas Water Development Board to lend support to Houston's application and respectfully request resubmittal of the application to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Sincerely,
r Stephen C. Costello
Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA
Tiers 8&9
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