Aqua Water Supply Corporation, Austin Community College and the City of Elgin have reached agreement regarding an end to the legal conflict over who will provide water to a new ACC campus and other land in Elgin.

Officials from Aqua, ACC and Elgin reached agreement after two days of mediation. Final documents and service-area maps are being prepared by attorneys and the settlement must be approved by the governing boards of the three entities.

Aqua supplies water to a large rural area comprising most of Bastrop County and parts of other counties. Elgin supplies water within its city limits and a small area outside its city limits. The conflict over water service arose on the western edge of the city, including land within Elgin city limits that is the 98-acre Austin Community College campus and a commercial development that will include a Walmart store. Other areas were also in dispute.

“Now, we can move forward with certainty,” said Elgin city manager Greg Vick.  “We know that the Austin Community College campus can continue to move toward its Fall 2013 opening date. We know that Walmart’s plan to develop a shopping center in Elgin will not be delayed or burdened by uncertainty. Both will have an urban level of service that includes firefighting capability.”

The settlement does not require any funds to be exchanged between Aqua and the city. Elgin does gain some service area and Aqua takes a water line that will no longer be needed by Elgin but is important for US Highway 290 development west of Texas 95 on the south side of the highway.

“The Elgin taxpayer and the ratepayer have been protected,” Vick said.

Aqua general manager William Loven said the negotiated agreement will replace informal agreements and draw clear lines between the service areas of Elgin and Aqua.

“We’re fixing in place the service-area boundaries between us to prevent similar problems in the future.  Citizens will know who will provide water for the future,” Loven said. “Resolving the lawsuit caps the current legal expense and removes the uncertainty that surrounds a drawn-out legal battle.”