San Benito reports EPA and TWDB awards for water system upgrades; city pursues additional North American Development Bank funding

City staff told the commission the city received notification of multiple funding awards and applications for water- and wastewater-related projects.

Staff said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded San Benito $959,752 for a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system project. ‘‘We did get notice of our EPA grant agreement... that is in the amount of $959,752,’’ the city manager said. Staff described the award as recently finalized and said engineering work is largely complete.

Separately, the city submitted an application to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) for a State Revolving Fund (SRF) drinking-water project to relocate a 12-inch waterline along Business 77; staff said the requested project amount is $9,535,000 and that San Benito was among the roughly 13% of applicants statewide to receive funding this round. ‘‘TWDB only awarded 13% of their applicants the money, and we were one of those 13%,’’ a city official said.

Staff also reported a $150,000 technical-assistance grant application with the North American Development Bank (NADB) for a water and wastewater master plan is proceeding, and that NADB recently announced a new water resiliency fund with $400 million in capital (roughly $100 million in grants and $300 million in low-interest loans). Staff said San Benito is ‘‘first in line’’ to apply for the new NADB fund and that its master-plan work could position the city to layer NADB funding with TWDB SRF financing to reduce local costs.

Commissioners were told engineering work on the SCADA project is advanced and that staff will begin project implementation steps once federal and state agreements are executed. No vote was required for the announcements; staff said they will bring contract and procurement items back to the commission as needed.