County hears plan to replace deteriorating groundwater tank, apply for grant to fund repairs

County consultants and community speakers briefed the Uvalde County Commissioners Court on June 17 about a pending grant application to replace aging water-supply infrastructure in a local community and requested the court's authorization to submit the grant package.

A county project representative said, “we're in a position to be able to submit the application by the end of the week,” and described the main elements proposed for grant funding: demolition of an old groundwater storage tank described in the remarks as about 50 years old and in poor condition, construction of a 103,000-gallon groundwater storage tank and replacement of a booster pump.

The representative said the existing tank leaks and is not dependable for residents; once demolished, the new tank and pump would increase capacity and reliability for the water system. The speaker also described a grant submission deadline of June 30 and said the project timeline tied to the grant would run approximately 24 months from award.

Project supporters in public comment praised recent board turnover and local advocacy that helped advance the application. One commenter credited a local advocate, Joe Schumacher, for work that led to improved governance at the Water Supply Corporation and said the community is “filled with hardworking, proud equal residents that care about the community” and welcomed the county's choice to pursue the grant.

The transcript excerpts show the court considered a motion to approve the county's resolution to authorize submission of the grant application; a motion was made and seconded, and the motion was called. The excerpts provided do not include the final roll-call vote tally by name in the text supplied here but indicate the court moved forward with approval procedures for the resolution.