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Expert voice: Edinburg resident urges council to back clarifier upgrades and gradual rate increases to protect water supply
Summary
Diane Teeter, professor emeritus of biology at STC, told the council that clarifier upgrades and a new water tower (1,000,000-gallon storage) are necessary to protect Edinburg's water supply amid drought; she supported gradual rate increases to fund infrastructure.
At the Nov. 15 meeting, Diane Teeter, professor emeritus at South Texas College (STC), urged the Edinburg City Council to approve planned upgrades to the downtown water treatment plant and to support phased water rate increases to fund the work.
Teeter described clarifiers as essential to removing solids and ensuring safe, compliant drinking water. She said investment is necessary amid ongoing drought conditions and that many cities across the Rio Grande Valley are implementing rate increases and surcharges to stabilize systems. She also highlighted the planned Edinburg water tower, which she said would add approximately 1,000,000 gallons of storage capacity to stabilize pressure and reduce waste.
Council subsequently approved the award for clarifier rehabilitation (Bid No. 2025-21) and took no recorded public action reversing the plan to fund infrastructure through multi-year rate adjustments. The transcript records Teeter’s recommendation that the council view the clarifier work and tower as long-term investments in system reliability.
