BORGER, Texas — The Borger City Council voted Aug. 5 to award a $463,214 contract to Hydro Resources Mid-Continent Inc. to replace Water Well No. 13 in the Sennett well field.

Staff said Well 13 has a history of sand intrusion that has reduced production and required repeated plugging and resetting of the pump intake. “The sand damages the screen over time,” City staff member Spradlin explained. “This is a replacement — they’ll drill a whole new well with whole new casing.”

The project was bid after engineering and permitting work. Staff noted the city originally budgeted a higher opinion of probable cost (OPC) — roughly $880,000 before later estimates rose above $1.2 million — but the low bid came in well below those earlier estimates. Spradlin said the city reduced the contractor scope so municipal crews can perform some tasks, and he estimated remaining material and in-house labor costs at about $100,000 or less.

Council approved the motion to award the bid and authorized the city manager to execute contract documents. Staff said the contract covers drilling, casing, and pump reset; additional piping, controls and tying into the distribution system will be purchased and installed by the city’s utility crews.

Staff also updated the council that the permit process for a separate new well (to be designated Well 24 in the Northwest well field) is ongoing and expected to proceed in the next budget year.