The small Central Texas town of Lometa will stake its claim Nov. 9 as the first in the state to use solar power to run a wastewater treatment plant serving a city.

State and local officials will be on hand for dedication of the 442-panel solar array that is expected to provide or offset all of the electricity needed for the wastewater treatment plant. The plant is owned and operated by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). Officials from the Texas Department of Rural Affairs and LCRA will discuss this unique, groundbreaking energy project at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 9. A tour of the facility will follow and TDRA and LCRA spokespeople will be available to talk with the media about the facility and process.

DATE:      Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010

TIME:        11 a.m. to noon

WHERE:   LCRA’s Lometa Wastewater Treatment Facility, 897 W. Highway 190, Lometa

The Texas Department of Rural Affairs (TDRA) awarded a grant of $488,714 to Lometa in Lampasas County to install 100-kilowatts of solar panels on the wastewater treatment plant and help residents hold down the costs for sewer services.

Texas Department of Rural Affairs makes the resources of state government more accessible to rural communities. The agency is a provider of rural-focused state and federal resources for community development, economic development, housing and rural health. For more information, visit TDRA online at www.tdra.state.tx.us. The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) is a nonprofit conservation and reclamation district that provides energy, water and community services to Texans. Created by the Texas Legislature in 1934, LCRA has no taxing authority and operates solely on utility revenues and service fees. LCRA supplies electricity to more than 1.1 million Texans through more than 40 wholesale customers.