Council approves multiple water and wastewater engineering statements of work to boost capacity and redundancy

The City Council approved several engineering statements of work and design-phase master services with George Butler Associates for major water and wastewater upgrades. The projects include an upsized 16‑inch water line to replace an aging 12‑inch main and increase conveyance between an intermediate storage tank and downtown (a long segment cited at roughly 22,080 feet and estimated construction duration of about eight months once permitted); a new crossing under US‑290 to provide redundant conveyance from the Greg Manor ground storage tank and pressurization facility; construction-phase services for a Bodark loop to improve pressure and water quality in Presidential Glen; and an oversized gravity relief main to improve wastewater capacity in the Gilliland Creek Basin.

City staff characterized these as priority projects funded using remaining 2023 certificates of obligation and related capital budgeting. Council approved engineering SOWs as presented; staff said the agreements include preliminary and final design, bidding and construction-phase management, and that construction timing would be sequenced across years with the goal of completing key works by 2026. Council also approved a statement of work for the design phase of the waterline upsizing and asked staff to combine project bids where appropriate to achieve economies of scale.

Motions to approve each SOW were moved and seconded and carried by voice votes. Council asked staff questions about routing, whether the existing line would remain in service during upsizing (staff said the new line would be installed parallel to avoid a prolonged service outage), and the need to obtain third‑party permits (railroad and CapMetro) for crossings.