Laredo utilities director says system is compliant with lead-and-copper rule; 69 mains prioritized for replacement

Walter, the city's director of utilities, reported to the Laredo Utilities Advisory Committee that the department is now in compliance with the revised Lead and Copper Rule, has reorganized water-quality sampling and cross-connection work, and plans near-term main replacement on 69 priority streets.

The report, delivered at the committee meeting, said the utility has moved bacterial (bactu) sampling to the water treatment division, established a public website showing the lead-service inventory and notifications tied to billing cycles, and will soon place three main-replacement projects out to bid as the start of a larger program covering 69 high-break-frequency mains across every city district.

The compliance update was the central message: "We are now in compliance," Walter told the committee, adding that meeting the rule was important both for public health and the utility's financial profile. He credited staff, specifically naming Adrian Goss for work on the lead-and-copper tasks, and said compliance helped preserve the utility's bond-rating discussions with Fitch.

Why this matters: the Lead and Copper Rule requires utilities to inventory service-line materials and to make information publicly available; Laredo identified about 37,000 services as "unknown" in an initial inventory of roughly 80,000 service lines and has posted that inventory on its website and through customer billing notices. The inventory triggers further action under the rule, including refinement and an eventual replacement plan.

Key program actions and status

- Lead-and-copper compliance: The utility completed the initial inventory and posted it publicly. Walter said the department used a conservative method to estimate service-line material (assuming post-1989 construction was non-lead) and that the next steps include refinement (excavation, line-testing tools or targeted inspections) and seeking funding for inventory refinement from the Texas Water Development Board.

- Cross-connection program: The department stood up a cross-connection program after the October TCEQ inspection; staff have identified 362 potential cross-connection sites and said most items have been addressed or are under resolution. Walter described cross connections as conditions where non-potable water could be siphoned into the system during pressure loss and said testing and backflow devices are being pursued.

- Main replacements and valves: The utility identified 69 streets with the highest main-break frequency for prioritized replacement. Walter said three street designs are complete and will go to bid shortly, with the program intended to be citywide ("every district has 4 or 5 of those mains"). The department plans a valve-exercise and valve-replacement program using automated valve-operating equipment expected within weeks to reduce the size and duration of outages.

- Inspection, sensors and CCTV: Walter described use of multi-sensor robotic CCTV and targeted assessments to measure pipe fill and debris; he said one 54-inch wastewater pipe inspected was approximately 40% full, a finding that informed planned cleaning before diversions to other plants. The committee was told the city will buy small robotic cameras for 6' to 12' lines and hire contractors for large-pipe assessments.

- Water-treatment upgrades and ribbon cuttings: The utility has approved a chlorine-dioxide polishing process for treatment plants and expects a ribbon-cutting the following week. Walter framed chlorine dioxide as an additional barrier to protect treated water quality.

- Customer communications and website: The department reactivated a public website (necessary to post the inventory and lead results) and distributes notices with each billing cycle; staff reported steady public engagement, with hundreds of site visits tied to the notices. Walter said the utility also prepared Q&A scripts for the call center and has seen very few calls the center could not handle.

- Meters and conservation: The utility plans an AMI meter changeout program and will seek funding from the Texas Water Development Board or other boards. Walter said AMI and customer portals improve conservation and customer troubleshooting and that the department's present strategy emphasizes conservation without declaring drought-emergency restrictions unless strictly necessary.

Financial and operational context

Walter said the department has identified operating savings that were reflected in a 90-day review and estimated additional savings could be found; he did not provide a single consolidated budget number but noted "several hundred thousand dollars" in near-term savings and ongoing capital needs tied to the main-replacement program. He also said the city has purchased additional Rio Grande water capacity and has 54 million gallons per day (MGD) currently available from that source, with a target to add about 30 MGD from other supplies.

Discussion items raised by committee members

Committee members pressed for detail on timing and public notification of street-level projects, GIS data for valves and hydrants, as-built records after repairs, and whether contractors bidding main replacements would be required to include surveying and GIS updates as part of the project. Walter said the city has an in-house GIS team but will require better field verification, and that the bid packages could include survey/GIS deliverables depending on the construction method (open-cut vs. trenchless).

Other operational notes

- The utility is expanding leak-detection capability and plans to buy equipment to pinpoint leaks and reduce excavation time. - The department plans to replace service lines when mains are replaced, which will help refine the lead-service inventory. - Walter noted that 20 MGD of effluent is returned to the stream today and suggested recapturing or reusing some effluent should be part of long-term supply planning.

Votes at a glance

The committee approved the meeting minutes by motion. The motion was made and seconded and carried; one member voiced opposition during the roll call. No formal roll-call tally with member names was recorded in the transcript.

What's next

Walter told the committee three main-replacement designs will be advertised for bid in the coming one to two weeks and that the utility will publicize progress across the 69-street program. He also said the department will pursue funding to refine the lead-service inventory and expand AMI and GIS capabilities.

"We are now in compliance," Walter said in closing, summarizing the lead-and-copper work, and added: "Compliance is a big part of that. It's who we are and what we do."