The Board of Directors of the Brown County Water Improvement District #1 held their monthly meeting Tuesday afternoon.  In the meeting the Board voted to amend the current fiscal year budget.  The current fiscal year, which ends August 31, is projecting a shortfall of revenue vs. expenses of approximately $412,000.  Operating expenses have increased dramatically in the past year, primarily because of the higher costs of electrical power and chemicals at the treatment plant.  The Board voted to cover the shortfall with monies from the fund balance.

The increased operating costs prompted the Board to increase the new fiscal year budget, which begins September 1, by some $700,000.  Last month the Board voted to increase the wholesale cost of treated water 19.9%, to pay for the increased operating costs.

Also at the meeting, District General Manager John Allen reported that Lake Brownwood is currently at level 1419.10, which is 6.0 feet below spillway level.  That represents 76.4% of lake capacity.  One month ago the lake was 4.9 feet below full.  The District is currently under voluntary water usage restrictions.  If the lake falls to level 1417, or 8.0 feet below spillway level, that will trigger mandatory restrictions on water usage.  In the drought of 2011 Lake Brownwood reached 17 feet below spillway level.

In July the treatment plant treated 274 million gallons of water, an average of 8.8 million gallons per day.  The plant’s maximum capacity is 16 million gallons per day.  In July 2021 the treatment plant treated 217 million gallons of water.

In other business, the Board voted to sell spent brass from the District’s firearms training shooting range to Jason Peterson of Texas Small Batch Ammo.  Also the Board considered a three-year review of the District’s financial depository, and voted to renew financial accounts in Citizens National Bank.