Crockett council weighs adding county water district to $4 million state loan plan

Council members discussed amending a state revolving-fund project intended for a new municipal well to include a neighboring water-control district in a single asset-management plan.

Planning staff told the council the city applied for a $4,000,000 program from the Texas Water Board that carried an approximate 70% loan forgiveness component. As engineering work continued, staff said the city had growing questions about the condition and reliability of the district that supplies part of the city’s water. To assess system condition and long-term replacement costs, staff proposed a single asset-management study covering both systems; Houston County Water Control & Improvement District No. 1 offered $25,000 toward the study, and staff recommended using $25,000 from the city contingency to cover the city’s share.

Staff said the engineering estimate for the district’s portion of the asset-management work was roughly $50,000 and emphasized that a combined study would allow engineers to evaluate wells, pumps, lines, towers and treatment systems across both systems and to compare options: drilling new wells, investing in the district’s intake and treatment infrastructure, or other alternatives. Council members asked for the feasibility analysis and lifecycle estimates that would follow the study before committing to major construction spending.

No final construction decision was made at the meeting; staff said the amendment would allow planners to include the district in the asset-management work so the council would have a full view of long-term costs and options before choosing a course for capital investment.