Del City approves sale of surplus water to Norman, eyes proceeds for water-plant upgrades

Del City officials voted unanimously to approve a contract selling surplus water allocations to the City of Norman and the Norman Utilities Authority and said revenue from the sale could be used to help pay for repairs at Del City’s water treatment plant.

Trustee Michael Dean told the council the city holds an annual allocation from Lake Thunderbird that historically exceeds local demand. Under the agreement discussed at the meeting, Norman will purchase roughly 300 million gallons annually with an option for additional purchases. Dean said the sale would provide a recurring income stream the city can apply to infrastructure needs.

City Manager JD announced that Del City had contracted SRB Consulting & Engineering to conduct a full assessment of the water treatment plant. JD said the firm’s report, which staff have reviewed and double-checked, lists recommended work ranging from relatively small upgrades of about $1,000 to larger projects with an estimated upper range near $40,000,000. Council members were told engineers will meet with council members and staff later in the week to review the report in detail and to discuss project prioritization and funding options.

Dean said he had pursued the surplus-water contract for several years and framed the sale as a way to generate revenue for ongoing operations and capital needs, including possible water-plant rehabilitation. The council voted to authorize the chair to endorse the contract and direct staff and the city attorney to finalize next steps.

Officials stressed that Del City will continue to meet local needs first and that any sale of surplus allocations would be managed so the city retains sufficient supply. No vote tallies were listed other than unanimous approval.