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Brookshire resident alleges EZ Fiber work damaged water mains; city says permits were issued and contractor paused work
Summary
A landowner told the Brookshire City Council that EZ Fiber crews damaged water mains and sprinkler lines during recent right-of-way fiber installation. City staff said permits and engineer review were completed, acknowledged incidents, and said the company was asked to pause work through the Thanksgiving holiday.
A Brookshire landowner told the City Council on Nov. 20 that crews installing fiber in the city right-of-way had damaged water infrastructure and private sprinkler lines and had caused a boil-water advisory lasting several days. "They hit broke two 6-inch mains…shut the water off for a day," the resident said during public comment, adding he felt powerless because work occurred in the right-of-way.
City staff responded that EZ Fiber participated in a preconstruction meeting, submitted design applications reviewed by the city engineer, and received three permits after water-district approval. Doctor Romero Bautista said city officials met again with the company's construction manager and the water district after installation problems. Bautista acknowledged that the contractor had experienced complications and told council the city asked EZ Fiber to pause construction during the Thanksgiving holiday (Nov. 25–28) and to resume Dec. 1 so repairs could be made promptly if additional main breaks occurred.
Why it matters: utility work in public rights-of-way can disrupt water service, create safety risks and impose repair costs; the council heard an owner say he suffered property damage and service interruptions. City staff described the permitting and oversight steps they took and said they coordinated with the water district to manage repairs.
What the record shows: the resident described multiple physical hits to city infrastructure including two six-inch mains and several irrigation supply lines, and reported a boil-water notice for four days. Bautista said the city required permits, that the designs were reviewed by the city engineer, and that the water district approved issuance of three permits. Bautista also said the city arranged a temporary work pause around the holiday to reduce risk to residents.
Next steps: council did not take formal enforcement action during the meeting; staff comments indicate the city will continue to coordinate with the water district and the contractor and to enforce permit conditions. The council did not record any vote or formal directive other than the public statement about the holiday pause.
