Leander homeowners are voicing concerns over a proposed wastewater treatment plant that would serve the new Leander Cottages at San Gabriel development. The project, led by developer HighTen Capital, calls for a small‑scale plant on a 16.1‑acre parcel near the intersection of County Road 270 and Christopher Lane.
Project details
If the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) grants its permit, the plant could discharge up to 70,000 gallons of treated water each day. The design calls for a subsurface drip‑dispersal system that slowly releases the water into the ground on land owned by HighTen. According to the permit filing, the treated water will not flow into the San Gabriel River, and a 150‑foot buffer zone will separate the facility from the river and from domestic and public supply wells.
HighTen President Srinivasa Gogineni emphasized that the system is “completely on site” and that the waste will be sprayed underground and processed to remove odors. He added that a drainage analysis is complete and a full impact study is underway.
Why the plant is needed
The wastewater facility is part of a larger 95‑acre subdivision plan that includes roughly 270‑300 homes, at least 20 acres of green space, and a new municipal utility district (MUD 78). The city of Leander declined to annex the development, citing an inability to provide wastewater services for the future neighborhood. Because the project sits within Leander’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, both the city and Williamson County have limited authority to regulate the plant under state law.
Resident reactions
Palmera Ridge resident Rick Baldwin said he first learned of the project from a neighbor and that many locals worry about potential declines in property values, unpleasant smells, and groundwater contamination. As of the article’s publication, TCEQ has received more than a hundred public comments, with 44 commenters requesting a formal hearing and 48 asking for a public meeting.
Gogineni reported that he has gone door‑to‑door to discuss the plan and that, at the time of his visits, residents did not raise specific concerns. Nonetheless, the volume of comments indicates a strong desire for transparency and community input.
How to get involved
Anyone who wishes to comment on the proposed plant can submit feedback directly to TCEQ through the agency’s e‑Comment portal (www14.tceq.texas.gov/epic/eComment) using permit identification number WQ0016914001. The agency will consider all submissions as it moves forward with its review.
Local officials have not yet taken a formal stance on the project, but the ongoing public dialogue underscores the importance of balancing growth with the environmental and quality‑of‑life concerns of Leander’s longtime residents.
Original reporting: Community Impact — Austin — read the source article.
