NEWS
Water crews worked all night to get water flowing again
After almost three days under a boil order plus nearly 10 hours without water, City of Bowie water customers saw the boil water order lifted shortly after noon Thursday.
The major line breaks occurred shortly before 3 p.m. on Tuesday when an eight-inch water main blew out in the construction area at Nelson and Mill. City Manager Bert Cunningham said there was an eight-inch line and a six-inch line coming into that line, which had been uncovered during the construction project. All the lines in this area are being replaced in the drainage project.
The CM said with the lines being opened the contractor had struck them a couple of times requiring a fitting and a clamp; however, being uncovered the cast iron line just collapsed due to the weight. There were not working in that area when it occurred.
“Years ago when these lines were put in there were no valves put into them, which would allow you to shut off a section for repair and allow the system to continue flowing. There were no valves, but the new lines will have three. The tower began to drop quickly because we couldn’t turn it off,” explained the manager.
In order to replace the broken section of line, the entire water system had to be shut down, and per the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality any time the system drops below 32 pounds of pressure there is potential for bacteria and a boil order is required. Three consecutive days of clear water tests are required to lift the order.
City water crews worked far into the night Tuesday and Wednesday morning repairing the line, and they thought it was done shortly before 1 a.m., but when it was pressured up, it had to be redone. It was about 3 a.m. before the system was able to start refilling the tower and pressuring up the system. Wednesday morning water was back up and running, with the boil order in place.
Emergency drinking water was provided and available for pick-up at the city fire hall.
Members of the Amon Carter Lake Water Supply Corporation will meet at 6 p.m. on May 26 in the office at 607A Lindsey for a monthly meeting.
Items on the agenda include a consent agenda and minutes and financials. Possible discussion/action may be considered on the following topics: Treasurer’s report, review of finance and current loans; president’s report as to the written agreements with contractual employees; consider current water rates and a possible increase; and review of expenses and areas that need amendment.
An executive session may be entered to discuss personnel issues.
The City of Saint Jo has a new fire marshal as the city council made the appointment during its May 13 meeting.
Gary Hines, a retired professional firefighter and certified fire investigator, will take the position. City Secretary Debbie Dennis said the post is required by ordinance but has not been filled for a long period.
The council set dates for a budget workshop for 2 p.m. on June 14 and 2 p.m. on June 28 for the ordinance workshop, as the council works to update its rules.
Aldermen gave their support to a proposition by Councilman Jack Dunn who is asking the Legislature to allow Texas’ smallest cities, those with 2,500 or few in population, to receive an additional share of sales and use tax. He would like to see the funds used in these communities to repair and replace aging infrastructure without new taxes or reliance on state grants.
In letter to State Rep. David Spiller, whom Dunn will meet with on June 1, the alderman explains much of the state’s 6.25% share generated locally flows into general funds and is spent on other priorities. He would like Spiller to author this legislation. Dunn gave the letter to the council along with a powerpoint on the plan.
“A single water treatment plant upgrade or sewer rehab carries massive, fixed costs that do not shrink with population size. These communities, often with only a few hundred or a couple thousands residents, simply cannot spread those costs across enough ratepayers or a broad tax based,” the letter states.
Dunn suggests a “graduated sales tax retention policy:” 1% additional share for cities with 2,500 or fewer residents; .75% for those 2,500 and 5,000; and .50% for cities between 5,001 and 10,000. It would be dedicated to infrastructure. Dunn says the overall statewide fiscal impact would be negligible, but could help sustain small, rural cities.
The Nocona City Council approved a bid for a new 203,000 gallon capacity tank for potable water at the water plant and learned a slide repair to the lake dam is going to be pretty costly.
At its May 12 session the council received three bids on the tank and went with one from Tank Depot of Cleburne for $193,923. It is for a a 217,600 gallon tank usable for 203,000 gallons. The price could change slightly since it was based on estimate freight costs.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
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