A Texas city council has rejected a proposed lagoon tied to a billion-dollar development after concerns were raised about whether the region has enough water to support the massive project.
The controversial Leander Springs development was slated to include a 275-room hotel, a 20,000-square-foot conference center, more than 1 million square feet of commercial space, and a large recreational lagoon in Leander, Texas.
Here's what to know
According to KXAN, Leander City Council approved a version of the Leander Springs proposal that no longer includes the lagoon. KXAN reported that the project had been presented as a mixed-use destination with apartments, retail, offices, restaurants, sandy beaches, and a crystal lagoon.
The lagoon's water supply was expected to come from the Lower Trinity Aquifer through an on-site well about 800 feet deep, according to KXAN.
Community Impact reporter Hamera Shabbir, speaking with KXAN anchor Sally Hernandez, said residents' concerns were rooted in lived experience.
"Leander is a city that has been strapped for water for quite some time," Shabbir told the outlet. She added that many locals already know "the feeling of turning on the tap and nothing coming out."
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According to KXAN, the developer said the project would increase local sales tax collections and create thousands of jobs.
More background
According to KXAN, Shabbir said Leander has infrastructure that supplies drinking water from Lake Travis, while some nearby communities still rely on private wells.
Despite the potential tax benefits, opponents offered concerns about water availability in the region, with some homeowners already having to dig deeper wells to reach the depleted water supply.
"I've spoken with residents who have wells, several hundred feet deep, including one resident whose well collapsed in December and had to pay thousands of dollars for a new modification to their system," Shabbir told KXAN.
According to KXAN, the council vote removes the lagoon from the proposal. That does not necessarily end the Leander Springs project altogether, but it does mean the development would need to take a different shape.
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