Smellterra
Belterra is a master planned development in the Texas Hill Country that plans to pump their treated sewage into Bear Creek, which feeds the Barton Springs portion of the Edwards Aquifer.
California-based Makar Properties has already built about 735 homes at Belterra. They plan to have 2,000 before they’re done. They just don’t know what to do with all the poop. So, their solution is to let it drain into the Texas Hill Country creek. And, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality seems set to approve a permit that will allow them to do this. This would be the first time a permit has ever been issued to allow discharging sewage into a creek over the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer.
Downstream neighbors aren’t looking forward to well water contamination and algae blooms that will threaten the health of Bear Creek. Belterra could discharge 350,000 gallons of effluent a day. But Belterra says it will be safe enough for fishing and swimming.
There’s a new website - Smellterra - to point out just how ridiculous this whole situation is.