Someone expressed to me that in the Seguin area, people are "water smart." By the large number of votes that the water issue received in a recent Guadalupe County current issues forum, I can tell that locally, there truly is interest, awareness, knowledge and concern about the topic.

Convinced that people are interested and knowledgeable, I will take the liberty of using this column to solicit public participation in regional water planning. Please take time to participate through a public participation survey found at www.twdb.state.tx.us/wrp/reg-plan/agendas/sct_survey/survey.html

In the survey, you are asked to recommend the evaluation criteria you think should be used to choose water planning options for the regional plan currently under consideration. Criteria includes water quality, fairness, reliability, etc.

You are also given the opportunity to list specific options that you support. I surely hope you can support the Schertz/Seguin water supply initiative, currently under way.

You are also asked to list any specific options that you have reservations about supporting, options about which you would like to have more information, and options for which you have a preference from a list of options currently being considered for inclusion in the regional plan.

The other parts of the survey concern water supply option(s) that you would like considered for the "regional water plan", water supply options you would like to have considered for the "community in which you live," and recommendations for changes in the laws concerning water issues.

The name of the entity soliciting public input is: "South Central Texas Regional Water Planning Group". It has been appointed by the Texas Water Development Board. Interests represented by the group include the public, counties, municipalities, industries, agriculture, environmental, small businesses, electrical generating utilities, river authorities, water districts, and water utilities. Hopefully, you feel represented. Please visit the web site of the group to find out who is representing your interest, and contact that person if you have a concern or need support for an idea or plan.

The regional water plan needing public participation input is being developed by a 20 member group consisting of citizens, water professionals, and government officials, representing the interest of 20 counties: Uvalde, Zavala, Dimmit, Medina, Frio, La Salle, Kendall, Bexar, Atascosa, Comal, Guadalupe, Wilson, Caldwell, Gonzales, Dewitt, Goliad, Victoria, Refugio, Calhoun and part of Hays County. There are three representatives from Guadalupe County. The planning is still in its initial stages.

Your participation in the public participation survey will provide important guidance to the South Central Texas Regional Water Planning Group in the evaluation of water supply options considered for inclusion in the regional water plan. The goal of the plan is to identify the water supply options which not only ensure safe and reliable supply of water for every community in the region through the year 2050, but which have public support.

More information about the Regional Water Group (Region L) for our county is found at www.twdb.state.tx.us/wrp/reg-plan/groups-homes/l-home.htm

The minutes for all meetings from March '98 until January"99 are found at:

www.twdb.state.tx.us/wrp/reg-plan/minutes/l-min/l-minutes.htm

As mentioned previously, the Region L survey for our county is found at

www.twdb.state.tx.us/wrp/reg-plan/agendas/sct_survey/survey.html

It can also be accessed from the main page of the Texas Water Development Board web site at http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/ . This site contains a wealth of water information and has numerous links to even more wealth of water information.. Be sure to check it out, you will surprised.

Choose Regional Planning www.twdb.state.tx.us/wrp/home.htm

Choose Regional groups www.twdb.state.tx.us/wrp/reg-plan/groups-homes/groups-home.htm

Choose (L) South Central Texas www.twdb.state.tx.us/wrp/reg-plan/groups-homes/l-home.htm

Access the Public Participation Survey.

It would be wonderful if the opinions of residents in our area would add to the pool of public participation information gathered so far, with public participation mostly by residents in populous counties other than Guadalupe county. If you participate, your name will be added to the mailing list of citizens interested in water issues. The opinion of residents of our county is important and needs to be heard. The Guadalupe County public needs to participate in the planning process.

The principle of public participation adopted on January 30, 1999 states: "The role of the Regional Water Planning Group is to create and implement a public participation plan that provides for meaningful participation in the development of an acceptable regional water plan. The public participation efforts should foster a relationship of mutual trust, honesty, respect and interaction between the Planning Group and Public."

Maybe the question in your mind is, does this participation have an effect on the viability of the Schertz/Seguin initiative of bringing an alternate water supply from the Carrizo.

The answer is yes and no.

Barring major difficulties, now that Seguin is poised and committed to bring to reality the alternative water supply from the Carrizo and funds from Seguin and Schertz have been committed, the alternate water supply will be operational before or about the same time when the regional plan is completed. This is now irreversible. Therefore, for the short term, the regional plan does not impact it.

However, the possible future expansion of the present Schertz/Seguin local plan needs to be included as an integral part of the regional plan, so that no conflicting plans would block the viability of such a future expansion.

Now is the time to help. Your input can make a difference in the regional water planning. If you presently do not have personal Internet access, go to the Seguin Public Library and access the Internet from there, free of charge.

Gloria R. Rivera's water issues involvement includes the South Central Regional Water Planning Group, the Schertz/Seguin Local Government Corporation, and the Guadalupe County Groundwater Conservation District under consideration by the current legislature. Rivera can be reached at (830) 303-5526, (830) 303-4764, fax (830) 372-1418, riverag@connecti.com webmaster@seguin.net ; www.seguin.net

To contribute to the Internet Beat column, contact Gloria R. Rivera.