The Thomasville Water and Sewer Board on Tuesday approved its 2025–26 budget and heard staff updates on repairs, grant funding and several lift‑station upgrades.

The board, called to order by Chairman Gaines Smith, voted unanimously to accept the minutes and bills from the previous meeting and to adopt the board’s proposed water and sewer budget for 2025–26. The board approved the water and sewer operating budget (not counting the water plant) at $3,245,650 and listed water plant expenses at $1,067,550, for a combined total water budget of $4,613,200.

Lindy Long, a city water and sewer staff member, summarized recent work and near‑term projects. “Some things that we've been working on, we, installed a new hot tap and fire hydrant at the intersection of Lynnwood and Lakewood,” Long said. Long also reported the industrial park tank was painted inside and out but that crews found an interior leak in overflow piping while attempting to refill it, and the contractor is preparing a repair plan.

Long described progress on the Highway 43 relocation project and several lift stations. He said the Highway 43 work is about 95% complete and that crews are waiting to bore services and cap old lines for sites including a funeral home and newly moved trailers. On lift stations, Long said one pump at the Winter Wood/Windlewood lift station was upgraded last year and the remaining pump and float rails now need replacement; that contractor work is scheduled to start the following day. He also said pumps at the lift station behind Pizza Hut on Moseley Drive will be upgraded in phases this year and next.

Mayor Brown and staff discussed grant funding available for repairs. Brown said the city has “roughly about 2 and a half million dollars left in grant funds” that must be used to repair or replace existing infrastructure rather than to upsize or build new facilities. He said the city will meet with grant administrators to seek reallocation of funds toward sewer repairs and to explore asking for additional funds to “totally revamp” the Windlewood lift station, a project Long estimated could cost “somewhere in the neighborhood of $22,000,000 or more.”

The board granted Mayor Brown, city attorney Glenn Padgett and Long permission to meet with a new property owner to negotiate a written agreement covering a long‑standing prescriptive easement to the city’s sewer lagoon; the motion passed unanimously. The board also heard that recent work at the sewer lagoon — new screw pumps and other upgrades — has improved operations but that older, sub‑surface pipe in downtown and older neighborhoods remains a concern because of water infiltration during rains.

Board members agreed to continue pursuing grant funds for targeted pipe testing (including smoke testing) and other repairs to reduce infiltration and prepare for growth in areas that route a high share of sewer flow through aging lift stations.

The board adjourned after approving the budget and scheduling follow‑up work.