There’s been a long standing fight to delay building Water Treatment Plant #4 (WTP4). Local environmentalists, conservationists, fiscal watchdogs and even the founder of the City’s Water and Waste Water Commission have bemoaned the waste —  of both tax dollars and water — involved in this true $1.3 billion boondoggle.  The debate is so hot on this that there was even a three-hour City sponsored debate on the subject you can watch we have linked to here.  Here’s a bunch more on the related land scam. Or you can watch some of the more interesting portions of it here:

Here’s an article we published at AustinPost.org just following the WTP4 debate.

You can also watch a short video of Brian Rodgers and Linda Curtis at one of the public hearings on WTP4 in 2009 and the June 2010 testimony by ace researcher Scott Henson on the potential for a 74% water rate increase in just 5 years – posted below.

Come May 2011, we will be making sure the Austin public knows about the Council’s “Wasteful 4” who pushed for this terrible project for our region.  They are Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez, and Councilwomen Cheryl Cole and Randi Shade. Shade, thought to be the “swing vote” amongst the the Wasteful 4, is up for reelection in May 2011.

Last, but not least, is a local group, Stop the Shafts, organizing to stop the drilling planned for this project.

Curtis & Rodgers on why we should all be concerned about WTP4.

Scott Henson warning the Council on expected Austin 74% water rates.