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You know, I learned how to

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swim right down here in Landa Park
and right by the Comal Springs.

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You know, New Braunfels is here
because of Comal Springs.

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And so when I think
what it means to me–it's home.

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And it's one of those kind of places
where people come here and visit

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once and immediately start
trying to figure out how to move here.

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New Braunfels is built around
the confluence of these two rivers

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and Comal Springs.

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We use this water
for everything that we do.

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It's our primary water source
for drinking.

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So, it's the basis of everything we do
here.

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It is the beating heart of Comal County.

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This water behind us
wasn't like this a few months ago.

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And this is the direct response
to recharge in the aquifers.

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The springs start to run.

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So every time it rains,
if you don't have open space and areas for

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water to percolate down into the aquifers,
it runs off into our rivers.

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And so, not only do we have
pollution problems with that kind of

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runoff, but if we don't have these areas,
the aquifers won't recharge.

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And so, our groundwater suffers.

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Our surface water, for a little
while, rises but our groundwater doesn't.

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The County

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is requesting
funding for acquisition funds,

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so they are wanting to purchase
tracts of land.

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The goal of the project
is to protect the quantity and quality

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of their groundwater and surface
water within Comal County.

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Right now, we're developing a matrix

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to identify these properties
that are really good recharge candidates.

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And so, those would be properties
that have sinkholes, caves,

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karst formations, the sort of limestone
formations that allow for the recharge to

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to pass through them
and be filtered at the same time.

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We're working to identify areas
that will be good candidates

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for these projects.

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You know, we're really grateful
for our partnership with the state

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and the Water Development Board.

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It's because of them
that all this is going to be possible.

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Comal County is definitely using
these funds in a unique way.

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Usually, you'll see these funds used
for infrastructure projects.

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But since they are using it for a
non-point source, it's

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definitely a great way for them
to protect their land.

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Comal County will be using these funds
to treat the pollutants

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at the source and protect
their precious resources that they have.

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So, it's about $4.5
million of a grant forgiveness.

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And then about a $25 million subsidized
loan.

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So, we're really excited
about putting it all together

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and going out
and starting to acquire these properties.

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So, I'm very passionate
about providing clean water for everybody.

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And at the Board, that's what we do.

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You know,
I’ve worked on a lot of projects,

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a lot of big projects,
especially in the transportation world.

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I haven't had one
that means more to me than this one.

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Our water here is why people settled here
in the first place.

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And so, I haven't had a more meaningful
project that I've worked on here.