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Commission approves ordinance requiring private-well registration, bars connection to city water
Summary
The Mercedes commission approved an ordinance requiring registration of private water wells (no fee for existing wells) and adopted a ban on connecting private wells to the city distribution system; commissioners discussed incentives and monitoring goals.
The Mercedes City Commission approved Ordinance 2026-02, an amendment to the city’s water-well rules that requires registration of private wells and disallows connecting a private well to the city water system, even where backflow prevention is present. Commissioner Arm Garcia moved to approve the ordinance; the motion passed after discussion.
Commissioners emphasized that the measure is intended to improve the city’s ability to map and monitor private wells—not to penalize existing owners. The ordinance, as clarified in debate, will not charge fees to owners with existing wells; staff said the registration process will be no-cost for those wells. Officials said registration data (location, use, whether the well works, and basic depth information where available) would help the city monitor aquifer conditions and better respond if wells start going dry or contamination problems emerge.
During debate commissioners discussed enforcement and the city’s authority over private wells. Several members stressed the city’s intent is not to "control" private wells or to make money from registrations. Commissioners also discussed possible incentives to increase voluntary registration, such as a one-time courtesy water test or other low-cost measures.
The ordinance also clarifies that a private well may not be physically connected to the municipal system; staff and commissioners said connections present a contamination risk and the city decided that prohibition was necessary to protect the public water supply.
No detailed roll-call tally by name was recorded in the transcript; the commission adopted the ordinance with one commissioner recorded as dissenting during the voice vote.
