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Heath updates water-bridge plan: MOU with Rockwall adds interim supply; storage projects advance
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Summary
Council received a status update on the city’s multi-pronged water-bridge plan, including a memorandum of understanding with the city of Rockwall that will deliver incremental water supplies, plans for ground and elevated storage tanks, and ongoing feasibility work with regional partners.
City staff told the Heath City Council July 22 that negotiations with neighboring utilities and ongoing engineering work have advanced the city’s multi-part water-bridge plan.
Mayor and staff reported the city is operating under a memorandum of understanding with the city of Rockwall that provides staged wholesale water availability. Staff said the MOU puts an interim supply in place (incremental 0.5 million gallons per day steps discussed in the presentation) and defines next steps toward a formal wholesale contract. The council and staff emphasized the MOU and subsequent contract activity are test phases and that technical steps — valve restrictors, modeling and design approvals — remain before full, long-term delivery.
Staff presented proposed storage projects tied to the bridge plan: a 3.0-million-gallon ground storage tank at the Heath pump station and a 1.5-million-gallon elevated storage tank at a site on Governors Drive. Staff said the pump station layout and piping stubs were designed to allow a second 3.0-million-gallon ground tank on the city’s site; the shared elevated storage for Rockwall/Heath was described as a separate, jointly used facility on Rockwall property near the pump station take point. City engineers said the elevated tank must be planned and permitted before bringing any new wells online in the affected area so the new well water can be blended and stored.
Staff also reported continuing work with RCH (regional partner) and a feasibility study that could identify additional wholesale opportunities; that study was described as near completion (staff cited an expected 30–45 day timeline for deliverables). Staff said the results will clarify the amount and timing of possible wholesale supply and inform how many wells and tanks the city should pursue.
Council and staff discussed the strategic balance between bringing on local potable wells and securing wholesale purchased water; staff noted purchased water provides immediate supply and redundancy while wells and storage give long-term local control and lower unit cost over time. Staff said they will return to council with design and funding recommendations as studies and contract drafts are completed.
