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Council hears update on Eastside water work after Well No. 8 yields only 150 gpm; city urges developer to fund interim treatment
Summary
Public works staff told the Navasota City Council that Well Number 8 at the Altamira site produces about 150 gallons per minute—enough for roughly 100 homes—and that the city will pause further large capital spending while the developer pursues options for interim treatment and reimbursement.
City of Navasota Public Works staff told the City Council on May 12 that a recently drilled production well intended to serve the Altamira subdivision yields far less flow than originally projected, and the city is asking the developer to pursue interim funding rather than the city spending additional taxpayer money now.
Matthew Joy, Public Works project manager, summarized the city water system and the Altamira plan. He said the system currently has six groundwater wells with combined pumping capacity of about 2,285 gallons per minute, two ground storage tanks totaling 1,500,000 gallons, three booster pumps rated at 1,500 gpm each, and two elevated tanks totaling about 650,000 gallons. Joy said the system has roughly 3,534 active meters and is near capacity.
Joy described the Altamira development as a 96-acre subdivision planned in 13 phases, with 382 homes projected in early plans and two commercial phases. The developer provided land for a water-plant site and the city purchased property to connect the subdivision and annexed that area into city limits.
The city bid and awarded a contract to drill "Well Number 8." Joy said the original contract amount for the well was about $1,400,000 and was reduced to approximately $1,208,000; during drilling crews encountered variable water quality and production. "Once this well is done, we're only going to get 150 gallons per minute out of it, which is only going to be able to serve about 100 houses," Joy said. Based on that yield, Joy said Well 8 would likely serve only Altamira phases 1 and 2 before reaching capacity and that a second well (Well Number 9) or other sources would be needed for full buildout.
The council heard that the city also awarded a contract on April 23, 2024, for an elevated storage tank sized at 750,000 gallons, with foundation work under way and steel work scheduled to start late in the month; the tank was expected to be complete by October 2025. Joy said the larger tank was chosen so the facility would not need another tank within two decades and that the pipeline out of the tank would connect back into the existing system.
Council members pressed staff on why the council had not been kept fully informed about the changing technical results. One councilmember asked who authorized continuing after suboptimal drilling results; Joy said staff were told by earlier management to "keep pursuing this." Several council members said they were not notified of the change in expectations. One councilmember said, "Somebody needs to be held accountable," and another asked whether the city could seek insurance or claims to recover costs.
The City Manager (name not specified) urged caution on further city spending. "We've spent enough of the taxpayers' money. Let's hold right where we're at," the manager said, adding that the city expects the developer to explore options to fund treatment or a small interim plant to serve roughly 100 homes so the city does not have to absorb another million-dollar investment for limited immediate capacity.
Staff said the developer's engineer has asked follow-up questions and that the developer is researching options, including possibly building a small treatment plant to use Well 8 in the near term and seeking reimbursement mechanisms such as a public improvement district (PID) or similar financing. Staff also noted regulatory and technical steps ahead: treating water to meet TCEQ standards, extending a 16-inch transmission main when development timing warrants, and addressing gas-line redundancy so fuel outages will not leave the subdivision without generator service.
Public works staff recommended proceeding with construction of the elevated tank and continuing site work while pausing additional major capital outlays for a second well until a financially viable plan emerges. Staff said they will continue to look for alternative well sites and options to increase system yield and will return to council with updates.
