ARANSAS COUNTY, Texas — The Aransas County Navigation District (ACND) is objecting to the City of Rockport’s request to renew its wastewater discharge permit, citing concerns over water quality and compliance with environmental regulations.
The dispute centers on the Rockport Wastewater Treatment Plant (RWTP), which discharges treated wastewater into Tule Creek, ultimately flowing into Little Bay and Aransas Bay.
The ACND argued that the current permit fails to adequately address pollutants, while the city maintains it is in full compliance with state regulations.
The RWTP’s permit, issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), allows the plant to discharge up to 2.5 million gallons of treated wastewater daily. The ACND, however, claimed the permit does not include sufficient limits on bacteria, nutrients, and toxic pollutants, which they say are harming the bay’s ecosystem.
Tommy Moore, Aransas County Navigation District Commissioner-At-Large, emphasized the district’s concerns during an interview.
“We know we’re going to get the water. We just want them to treat the water so that it doesn’t have the pollutants in it,” he said.
Moore said. He pointed to studies showing high levels of enterococci bacteria and nutrients like nitrogen and phosphates in the water.
Moore also criticized the city for not conducting required Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) testing, which assesses the impact of discharged water on aquatic life. “We can’t get any data for the testing that they need to do to assure the public that it’s safe,” he said.
Rockport City Manager Vanessa Shrauner defended the city’s practices, stating that the RWTP operates in full compliance with TCEQ regulations.
“We stay in compliance with the TCEQ. We are required to report samples every single month,” Shrauner said. She added that the city’s engineers are responsible for the permit application and that any missing information would be addressed if requested by TCEQ.
Shrauner also disputed the ACND’s claims about water quality, citing a study conducted by the Navigation District itself.
“The Navigation District’s own study quotes that the wastewater treatment plant is effective at removing bacteria before it is discharged into Tule Creek,” she said.
She argued that pollutants in Little Bay are more likely from stormwater runoff and other sources, not the RWTP.
The ACND has also accused the city of violating its stormwater ordinance, which regulates untreated stormwater discharge into local water bodies, including Little Bay, Rockport Harbor, Fulton Harbor, and Cove Harbor. Moore said the city’s failure to control sediment in stormwater is causing navigation issues and environmental harm.
“The sediment is killing the seagrass in this bay,” he said, adding that the district has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars dredging sediment from Rockport Harbor.
Shrauner, however, called the ACND’s stormwater ordinance an “overreach” and said the city is in compliance with TCEQ standards.
“The allegations made by the Navigation District on stormwater are false,” she said. She noted that the city is part of a regional stormwater management committee but said the ACND did not raise its concerns through that channel before filing the objection.
One of the ACND’s key recommendations is to divert the RWTP’s discharge away from Little Bay to Aransas Bay, where the water would be more diluted. Moore said this would reduce the impact on Little Bay’s sensitive ecosystem.
“You don’t need to be putting your toilet water, even though it’s been treated, into your recreational waters,” he said.
Shrauner said the city is open to the idea but emphasized that any diversion would require TCEQ approval and significant funding.
“If it needs to be diverted, we don’t have a problem with that, as long as the TCEQ approves it and the funding is available,” she said.
The ACND has also requested a public hearing to allow community input on the permit renewal. Shrauner said public comment periods are standard during the permit process but noted that the city has not made significant changes to the RWTP’s operations that would warrant additional input.
The TCEQ will now review the ACND’s objection and decide whether to hold a contested case hearing or a public hearing. Moore said he expects a decision within 30 to 60 days. Meanwhile, the city and the ACND continue to work through their differences, with both sides expressing a willingness to collaborate on solutions.
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