City Council - Regular Meeting

Hey everyone, my name is Matthew Cleaves and this is what's happening at city hall. And today we are visiting the Wix Water Treatment Plant to take a few minutes to clear up some misconceptions and common claims that people have been sharing about the Watershed Act. We want to be clear about what this act does and does not do. One of the biggest misconceptions we've seen online is the idea that this legislation is intended to provide water to a private company, including data centers. That is not what the wershed act does. The city of the Dallas operates one municipal water system. That system serves everyone. Homes, schools, small businesses, fire protection, and essential public services. HR655 does not dedicate or guarantee water to any private company or industry. This legislation does not change water rights. It does not increase water withdrawals and does not authorize any construction or expansion of the Crow Creek Dam itself. Another claim we've seen is that reservoir planning began because of recent development. That is not accurate. Long-term reservoir planning in the Dows began almost 30 years ago before data centers existed here. In 1996, the city approached the US Forest Service about acquiring land needed for a potential future expansion of Crow Creek Reservoir. In 1999, the city applied for and received state water rights to support a future reservoir expansion. In 2006, the city's water master plan confirmed the long-term need for expanding Crow Creek Reservoir to meet projected water supply demands. And finally, in 2024, the updated water systems master plan continued the city's long range planning for potential expansion. An estimated construction could occur around 2050. Thank you for joining us. I hope this

helps clear up the facts about what the watershed Act does and what it doesn't do. For more information or to read our full FAQ, visit the dows.org/hr655. Thank you for watching and I'll see you again soon.