You voted. Here's what to expect regarding the Concho...

The City of San Angelo is a key steward of the river. The position of Mayor brings with it much responsibility for the Concho's health. 

We asked newly-elected Mayor Tom Thompson to provide feedback on the questions below. His responses are posted here in the hope that San Angelo citizens will be better informed on his views related to the Concho.

Texas voters approved the creation of a $1 billion Texas Water Fund in 2023 to fund water infrastructure upgrades, new water supply projects, and a statewide water public awareness program due to the projected 73% population growth in Texas by 2070. The current daily demand in San Angelo averages 12.5 million gallons per day and primarily comes from OH Ivie Reservoir, which is fed by the Concho and Colorado Rivers. What are your views on how to balance growing communities/economies with limited water resources, particularly as it relates to the Concho?

In my eight years on the council and eight years on the Concho River Watermaster Advisory Committee, my service has focused on securing San Angelo's water supply. A good balance of surface, aquifer, and reclamation sources creates a water supply cluster based on three individual legs to help balance supply and protect citizens from the troubles of non-balanced water supplies. The more legs we add to stand on, the safer our future is in San Angelo.

I would point out that during the peak summer days, usage can exceed 18 million gallons per day.

Leg 1: Lake Ivie- A Surface Water Supply (shared with other cities).

Leg 2: The Ford Ranch Acquisition—The Hickory Aquifer Supply will soon provide 12 million treatable/usable gallons per day. Should a well become inoperable, the field can be expanded to meet permitting limits. This is great flexibility.

Leg 3: Concho River Water Project: This is a Reclamation process that will be expanded to reclaim our daily usage, moving toward net zero consumption.

Potential Future Source: The West Texas Water Partnership also allows San Angelo to potentially realize gains from its sister cities, Abilene and Midland. The Fort Stockton Holdings venture is a massive step from which we may benefit.

Ultimately, the more parts that contribute to the supply cluster, the less dependent COSA will have to be on any one supply, especially the Concho River.

From the City of San Angelo: The Concho River Water Project “…involves releasing highly treated water to federal and state standards from the City’s wastewater treatment plant into the Concho River. After it has flowed down that ‘natural pipeline,’ the water will be recouped farther downstream.” Do you have any environmental concerns related to the project, and what message would you send to voters about water and wildlife safety?

The environmental aspects of this project have been thoroughly evaluated through consultant assessments and the rigorous review conducted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) during the permit preparation.

This is unique to each river process. Each discharge permit is evaluated specifically to the receiving water body, in this case, the Concho River. This site-specific approach ensures that the permit conditions are appropriate for the river's unique ecological characteristics.

Please note that the discharge of treated wastewater into rivers is not unique to this project. The communities of Ballinger, Robert Lee, and Winters already have permitted discharges of treated wastewater that ultimately flow downstream to O.H. Ivie, highlighting the basin’s capacity to assimilate treated effluent under carefully regulated conditions.

In 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed six species of freshwater mussels found in Central Texas under the Endangered Species Act. These creatures are often referred to as “the liver of the river” because of their filtering function, and the Concho River Basin is home to many of them. What is your view on the state of the Concho in regard to wildlife, and what are your priorities or concerns, if any?

The common-sense decisions about the benefits of natural filtration systems emphasize the importance of a balanced ecosystem.

It’s a common perspective from anyone familiar with the river on the benefits of natural filtration systems and strongly believe in the importance of a balanced and healthy ecosystem. The Concho River is an asset to West Texas, and we recognize the strong connection  that countless individuals and the region's ecological health have with the Concho River.

Protecting the environmental integrity and natural processes of the Concho River is paramount. Maintaining its ecological independence and purity is crucial for safeguarding the diverse habitats it supports and the wildlife that depend on it as a

water resource. Any project activities regarding the river should be carefully reviewed and scrutinized for their potential impacts on the river system and its long-term health.

Since 2019, at least 1.5 million gallons of raw, untreated sewage water have been accidentally discharged into the Concho River due to either incidents at the City’s wastewater treatment plant or collapsed sewer mains. What views do you have on the spills and where would wastewater infrastructure improvements rank in your administration? 

Protecting our water resources is key to San Angelo. Most San Angelo citizens remember the “Boil Water’ notices of 2020 and 2023. The Concho River Water Project presents a significant opportunity for the responsible discharge of treated water and, more importantly, for a complete overhaul of our wastewater treatment infrastructure. This upgrade will deliver increased capacity, implement more effective treatment processes, and replace our aging systems, directly mitigating the risks of future contamination events like the past spills.

My previous efforts on the Lake Nasworthy Sewer project demonstrate my commitment to addressing outdated and undersized systems. Furthermore, the decisive action to allocate necessary funding for repairing the collapsed sewer line under the loop underscores my dedication to preventing further environmental harm. Prioritizing the ongoing replacement of our oldest lines will be a continuous effort under my leadership to safeguard the Concho River.

Historically, oil companies injected water produced from drilling wells back into the ground. But the prevalence of earthquakes has led them to explore alternate means of disposal, including the development of some treatment processes for disposal of the water into surface streams and rivers instead. In fact, Texas has issued permits to allow discharge of 840,000 gallons a day into Salt Creek, which feeds the Pecos River. Advocates suggest that treated water would bring life to dry riverbeds, while opponents worry about wildlife and human safety since the science is unproven. Given that the North Concho River reaches into the Permian Basin, what are your views on the potential for that branch to be utilized in a similar way? 

This question addresses the recent authorizations that release treated oilfield wastewater into the Pecos River and a few other authorizations issued across the state. The TCEQ has authorized and even created a general permit for discharges east of the 98 meridian to introduce treated oilfield wastewater into these streams.

My stance is that letting anyone deposit treated oilfield wastewater UPSTREAM of the Concho River is highly questionable. From my research, I see this as almost a pilot project without much review or oversight from TCEQ. I find it challenging to think that the potential to abuse this privilege wouldn’t be inviting.

In 2020, the contamination event discovered in North San Angelo was likely only a few gallons. COSA caught it, but it is a quick reminder that the San Angelo water supply and distribution system are susceptible, and implementing Customer Service Inspectors helps us focus on prevention and protection.