The Waterford City Council voted 5-0 to authorize staff to prepare and release a request for proposals for the Hickman Water Consolidation Project, a pipeline and roadway restoration contract intended to interconnect the Hickman Community Services District and the City of Waterford water systems.

City staff described the proposed work to the council as installation of a new 14-inch water transmission main along Hickman Road, trench excavation, pipeline installation, trench backfill, paving, and new roadway striping to restore affected areas. "The interconnection is intended to improve water reliability, increase system capacity, and provide redundancy for both communities in the event of emergency or supply interruption," Public Works staff said.

Staff provided an engineer's estimate of $1,025,000 and said the project would be paid with a pending Infrastructure Bank (IBank) loan. The city described the proposed loan as a maximum of $1,500,000 with a repayment term of 20 years at 4.52% interest. At that loan level, staff estimated total interest of $810,286 over the life of the loan and an annual debt service of about $115,514, secured by water fund revenues.

Residents asked about bill impacts and project timing. Staff said a rate analysis to include the debt service is already under way and that the city expects draft results in approximately November–December; staff said construction could begin in late winter and last roughly 60–90 days once bids are received, permits are obtained and a contract is awarded. "We're going to include that debt service in the rate analysis," staff said. "At this point in time, I can't tell you what the rate analysis is going to tell us as far as percentage increase."

Councilmember comments framed the project as long-awaited infrastructure work to address a failing well and to provide more reliable service to Hickman. Council approved the motion to proceed with the RFP and directed staff to return with financing details and the rate analysis when available.