Roswell committee hears five‑year water and wastewater plan, councilors warn current pace won’t replace aging pipes
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Summary
The City of Roswell’s finance committee received a five‑year utilities plan outlining phased well, reservoir and pipeline rehabilitation and estimated costs for FY26–FY30. Presenters and councilors urged aggressive grant seeking and operator training to address decades‑old cast‑iron mains and certified‑operator shortages.
The city’s utilities department presented a five‑year plan to the finance committee outlining rehabilitation of wells, reservoirs and miles of pipe needed to maintain water quality and system reliability.
Naomi Naomi Stewart, who presented the plan, said the department operates 20 groundwater wells, multiple storage tanks and treats roughly 4.2 billion gallons of water per year. She read project estimates for FY26–FY30, including reservoir inspections and well rehabilitation bids for specific wells and multi‑year pipeline replacement phases. “We want to replace the 36‑inch water line from nineteenth and Montana to eighth and Montana,” Stewart said while describing the phased approach and contractor quotes the department has already received.
Council members pressed staff on the plan’s scale. One committee member noted the city maintains about 350 miles of distribution mains and that the plan’s proposed replacement rate—roughly 2,000 feet per year—would cover only a small portion of aging infrastructure. “We have 161 miles of 8‑ to 12‑inch cast iron pipe put in between 1940 and 1945,” a councilor said, noting those sections are approaching the end of their service life.
Committee members and staff discussed funding strategies, including applying for DFA (Department of Finance and Administration) and Water Trust Board grants and re‑sequencing work to maximize the city’s 80/20 matching opportunities. Staff said the city has submitted multiple SB 31 revolving loan fund applications and received two awards so far; they stressed competition for the state’s reduced disaster fund (staff described a pre‑session proposal of $150 million that became $50 million at enactment).
The committee also focused on workforce challenges: officials warned of a statewide shortage of certified water and wastewater operators and urged the city to fund certification and succession planning to retain qualified personnel. Staff noted existing programs to pay for some certifications and said they are working to expand training and pay incentives tied to certification to reduce turnover.
What's next: Committee members asked staff to pursue available grants and to return with more granular budgeting and scheduling that aligns projects to likely funding cycles and grant award timing.
