Mercedes hears update on new municipal well; design nearly complete, federal and local funding discussed

Melvin Hunt, the presenter for the water-well project, told the Mercedes City Commission the design and technical specifications for a proposed new well are nearly finished and will be submitted to the state reviewer later this month. "I would say 95% complete on that," Hunt said, describing the design and the team’s plans to submit plans for review.

Hunt said the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has signaled it is moving forward with committed funds and that the city was "looking at giving us an award hopefully before March" with funding to follow in April; he referenced an award figure of about $440,000. The city has estimated construction costs in a conservative range and told commissioners it is using an estimate of roughly $1.5 million for construction planning and budgeting.

Staff described next steps: after submission to the environmental reviewer (referred to in the presentation as TCEQ), the city will expect about a 60-day review period for plan comments and clearance. Once approved, commissioners were told the city will advertise for bids and then seek commission authorization to proceed with contracting. Hunt said staff hoped to return to the commission in March or April to request permission to go out for bids if reviews complete on schedule.

Commissioners and staff also discussed supplemental funding options, including an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation and a water-development grant the water development board expects to open in spring; presenters noted the competitive grant could support larger projects and that awards from that program target later funding cycles (staff mentioned the grant would be targeted toward 2027 project years).

During questions, commissioners pressed on site-selection contingencies, water quality uncertainty and the possibility that a pilot hole might indicate a different location is more suitable. Hunt described that the hydrogeologist had identified three potential sites, with one near the river as ideal but the city-selected site chosen in part because it is on city-owned property and avoids acquisition. Hunt said it was difficult to guarantee water quality until a test bore is drilled but that nearby wells often provide the best indicator of expected performance.

The presentation closed with a request that the commission be notified promptly when reviews or awards arrive; commissioners thanked Hunt for the update and said they would hold staff to the proposed schedule.