A staff member told the meeting that a 36-inch pipeline installed under the Brazos River several years ago may already be large enough to meet the city's projected water demand, and that work on a new pump station is focused on matching pump controls and capacity to that existing conduit.

"Several years ago, we sank several million dollars into a new section of pipeline under the Brazos River," the staff member said. "HDR looked out at the city's needs and sized that pipe, much bigger than what we currently have." The transcript also states that the system today "runs all the water to a 24 inch," and that the pipe under the river is "a 36 inch that we slipped under the river."

Why it matters: the size of the previously installed pipe affects what the new pipeline and pump station must deliver. The staff member said population projections used when the river crossing was designed still align with where the district and the city want to be in future water production.

The staff member described the pump-station design in the meeting as intended to "hold 5 500 horsepower VFD pumps." The transcript wording is not clear about whether that means five 500-horsepower variable-frequency-drive pumps or a combined 5,500 horsepower; the transcript did not clarify that numeric phrasing. The speaker added that the pumps themselves would be similar in style to the current pumps and that the VFDs (variable-frequency drives) affect how pumps are started and controlled: "when Scott's staff goes down today to start pumps up, they have to shut valves. They have to start to pump up slow."

Discussion only — no vote or formal action was recorded in the provided transcript excerpt. The comments reported on prior capital investment, existing pipe sizing, population projections and proposed pump controls; they did not specify a construction timeline, contract awards, or funding source for the new pump station.

Next steps mentioned in the excerpt were limited to staff analysis and sizing review; the transcript did not state any formal direction to pursue a particular build option or any regulatory permits required.

Details in the record are limited to the excerpted remarks: the dollar figure was described as "several million dollars," the river crossing was identified as under the Brazos River, and HDR was named as the engineering firm that sized the earlier pipe. No meeting action, vote, ordinance, or contract number was provided in the excerpt.