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The City of Hutto bought back its wastewater treatment plant Wednesday, 12 years after entering into an agreement with the Lower Colorado River Authority. In 1998, the city and LCRA signed the agreement, which allowed for a major expansion of the treatment plan to match the city's growing population. LCRA owned and financed the treatment plant, and under its ownership, capacity grew from 100,000 gallons of water a day to 1.7 million gallons. City Manager Ed Broussard said the city's decision to take back the plant could save consumers money. "It's one of the most needed services that we have," Broussard said. "The rates will actually be able to maintain and won't have to increase quite as significantly as we would have if we stayed with LCRA." That means when a new wastewater plant is built around the Lookout at Brushy Creek area in a few years, consumers won't have to face as high of an increase in rates. The city said LCRA charges about an 8 percent fee. "We've worked with Hutto to expand their wastewater system to serve their rapidly growing community," LCRA spokeswoman Emlea Chanslor said. "We're glad to have worked out an agreement where the city's ready and able to take on this project, and they're able to do it for their citizens." Under the agreement, signed Wednesday, Hutto will pay LCRA about $7.6 million to cover debt from the expansion, along with other costs.

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