Hewitt council gets 2026 water-conservation update; staff warns of plant delays and proposes fence replacement at Commerce Park well site

The Hewitt City Council on April 6 received a staff briefing on the city’s required five-year water‑conservation and drought‑contingency plan update and a progress report on utility projects at Commerce Park.

Utilities Director Mr. Thomas told the council the update is largely procedural but includes an important technical change to drought triggers. "The biggest change that you're going to find is the triggers — the actual elevation level of the lake ..." he said, explaining that stage‑one trigger elevations moved from 455 to 457 and staff added an 80% lake‑full metric. He said the change is part of the document required by the Texas Water Development Board and will be returned to council later for formal approval.

Mr. Thomas also said staff is proposing year‑round conservation measures to reduce customer confusion about when restrictions apply. When asked whether the restrictions previously depended on water purchases from Waco, he replied, "We just decided to do year‑round conservation," explaining that the approach avoids the inconsistency that can lead to spikes in use immediately after a drought declaration.

Operational status of Commerce Park well and plant

Public‑works staff described progress and remaining work on the Commerce Park well and plant expansion. Mr. Whitney said the plant contractor has completed much of the work but several issues have delayed final activation: an electrical subcontractor experienced delivery and scheduling problems, pumps arrived in the wrong material (carbon steel rather than the specified stainless steel), and some motors were delivered without temperature sensors. Staff said they are working with the prime contractor and suppliers to secure extended warranties and correct the items.

Mr. Whitney estimated that, if samples are taken and submitted promptly, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCQ) could issue a conditional approval in about a month to six weeks and that the city could be using the well by July, with TCQ return sampling and final approval following in 60–90 days.

Council members pressed staff to invite the prime contractor (TTE) and the implicated electrical subcontractor (Wallace Electric) to a future meeting for a public update and to provide current cost estimates for related lift‑station work.

Fence replacement at Commerce Park well site

Council also considered a separate but related facilities issue: repeated wind and storm damage to an 8‑foot perimeter fence surrounding the plant site near Park Hill Elementary. Staff showed photos of bent posts and split ties and said the current temporary fence is not in compliance with recent TCQ inspections; staff said inspectors had allowed a temporary reprieve but future inspections might not.

Staff discussed replacement options — precast concrete panels in different finishes (stamped wood, chisel/stack stone or classic brick look) — and a graffiti‑resistant paint additive. The presenter quoted vendor figures of roughly $160–$180 per linear foot and a rough total estimate in the order of $225,000 for about 1,500 linear feet; staff said the utility could use surplus funds to pay for the work but asked for council direction and for more detailed wind‑tolerance and warranty information before committing funds.

What’s next

Council directed staff to return with a firm proposal that includes up‑to‑date cost estimates, vendor warranties, wind‑tolerance specifications and information about graffiti‑resistant coatings. Councilmembers also asked staff to invite the prime contractor and subcontractors to provide an update on the plant/well schedule and the steps they will take to avoid further delays.

Provenance: Topicfirst SEG 011; Topiclast SEG 355