In the News

TWDB Conducting a Small Community Wastewater Needs Survey

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) is conducting a Small Community Wastewater Needs survey of small communities, particularly unincorporated communities that have existing or currently need publicly-owned wastewater facilities.

The survey concerns wastewater infrastructure capital needs and will support the TWDB's participation in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS). The CWNS is conducted every four years, and state-by-state results have been used by Congress to establish a formula to distribute funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program to all 50 states. The CWSRF is administered in Texas by the TWDB. Since the CWSRF program's creation in 1987, the TWDB has received approximately $1.8 billion in federal capitalization grants. Through matching funds and leveraging, the TWDB has provided more than $6 billion in financial assistance to more than 350 communities.

The CWNS is a census of the needs for all existing and currently needed publicly-owned wastewater facilities. It has very rigorous documentation requirements that create a strong bias toward larger communities who have access to resources that aren't generally available to, or affordable for, small communities. EPA has recognized this and allows states to develop alternative forms of documentation for their small communities. This survey has been approved by EPA for use in Texas.

There are two ways to participate: 1) refer the survey to representatives of small communities in Texas, particularly unincorporated communities that have problems but not the means to communicate them; 2) send the TWDB information on recent studies and planning activities that cover small community needs.

An electronic copy of the survey is available on the TWDB website. We are asking communities to return the completed survey or other information by April 6, 2012. Responses can be faxed to 512-475-2086, e-mailed to cwns_mail@twdb.texas.gov, or mailed to

P.O. Box 13231
1700 N. Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78711-3231

If you have any questions, please contact the CWNS Coordinator, Alan Williams, at 512-463-7959 or alan.williams@twdb.texas.gov