CLARIFICATION REGARDING WASTEWATER & INFRASTRUCTURE INFORMATION

Recently, inaccurate information has been shared publicly regarding the status of Runaway Bay’s wastewater system and related infrastructure efforts.  To ensure residents have accurate and factual information, the City of Runaway Bay would like to provide clarification directly from a qualified professional who is actively involved in overseeing these operations.

The following statement is from Roddy Boston, who serves as Deputy Director of Public Works for the City of Decatur and has been assisting the City with wastewater and collection system operations.  He offers firsthand insight into the current condition of the system, ongoing evaluations, and next steps:

Good afternoon, Runaway Bay!

As a member of the current public works task force, I wanted to take a minute and thank each and every one of you who has reached out to get clarification of the misinformation that has been circulating about the state of the collection system and your wastewater treatment plant.

As I’ve expressed to many of you, the misinformation has come from people who have very limited knowledge of how a system of this size, or any size, is supposed to work. 

Your system, while not perfect, is a good, solid system. But it does have issues that are being addressed. Those issues are currently being looked over by Freese and Nichols Engineering. This firm is nationwide and specializes in Water and Wastewater systems, helping towns and cities address issues that can plague a system.

We are lucky to have them as a partner in ensuring that your system is reviewed and the problem areas addressed.

As for the few of you who don’t know me, I have been assisting your city for the last three years, overseeing the wastewater and collection operations. I have lived near Boyd since 1986 and graduated from Boyd ISD. I have been a customer of Walnut Creek SUD and have used and played in the water from Lake Bridgeport for years. I have raised a family and now have grandchildren who consume and play in the same water. I definitely have “skin in the game”. 

 I have an “A” Wastewater Treatment License, which allows me to work and operate any wastewater treatment plant and/or collection system in the state of Texas. I currently have over 365 verifiable water/wastewater education hours and am subject to continuous education to keep my license valid. This includes familiarity and a working knowledge of TAC Chapter 217, which details the rules of Wastewater System design. It has been my goal to produce the cleanest possible wastewater effluent to reintroduce into the lake. 

Mayor White invited me to help with your system in early 2023, when your previous operator retired. Since then, the assembled team of operators and public works utility crew, with help and direction from the TCEQ and me, has been assisting the city in surveying and grading your system so that the problems can be addressed properly and professionally. 

Although your system isn’t considered a “large” system, we have taken our time and ensured we have covered the most important parts while striving to keep the system in working order.

Over the next few months, you may see crews at manholes, lift stations, or around the wastewater treatment plant. Our plan is to perform the work in stages due to time and operational constraints. We will be utilizing new and groundbreaking technology that is very promising and has shown much success, but much of the work will depend on the work done prior to the next stage. 

I hope to maintain my relationship with the city for many years to come and look forward to continuing to provide accurate information about your system. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at any time. You may send me a message through this app or leave a message for me at City Hall. 

Roddy Boston

Residents with questions are encouraged to contact City Hall.