Rowlett — The City Council on July 15 approved and ratified an emergency construction agreement with Circle H Contractors LP for repairs to a broken 24-inch gravity sewer main on Liberty Grove Road, authorizing the mayor to execute the contract in an amount not to exceed $4,402,544.80.
The sewer main, built in 1998, broke on June 4 and produced six failures from west of Chiesa Road to Princeton Road, undermining westbound lanes and requiring immediate repairs. "We did have a 24 inch gravity sewer main ... that had a break that occurred in June on 06/04/2025," City staff presenter Christina Turner Notewer told the council. She said crews are working on multiple activities and expect project completion by October.
Council approval follows staff testimony that repair work includes installation of bypass pumping, televising of affected pipe segments, and equipment rentals. Turner Notewer itemized ancillary emergency costs not part of the Circle H contract: Barco is installing and maintaining the bypass (estimated at approximately $137,320), Ace Pipe Cleaning is televising the southern portion of the line (about $98,500), and equipment rentals total about $18,500.
Council members pressed staff on traffic and roadway restoration. Turner Notewer said the contractor’s concrete crews will follow pipe installation to patch and replace road sections and that any sinkholes discovered will be excavated and reconstructed with a new sub-base. She said a planned overnight closure for bypass work was rescheduled from a prior Friday because of a scheduling conflict; the closure is now set from 7 p.m. Thursday to 7 a.m. Friday for installation of the remaining bypass for the southern portion.
The council approved the motion by Councilman Reeves, seconded by Councilmember Alisa Bowers, and the item passed unanimously. The council and staff framed the vote as ratifying emergency purchases already initiated to protect the sewer system and public safety.
City staff said the Circle H contract covers primary construction and that additional emergency agreements were initiated to manage bypass pumping, pipe inspection, and equipment needs. No funding reallocation or bond issuance was discussed at the July 15 meeting; the agenda item ratified the emergency purchase and authorized execution of the contract.
Council action now allows the contractor to continue construction while staff works on associated restoration and follow-up inspections. The city will post project updates and traffic advisories on its website during the construction period.