Ward council agrees to continue talks on isolated water line with Grand Prairie

The Ward City Council voted on April 21 to continue negotiations with the neighboring Grand Prairie water district over an isolated water line that lies outside Ward’s legally recognized water district. Mayor Charles Gaston described the line as feeding about 25 houses (23 occupied in 2025) and producing minimal revenue — ‘‘it was less than $1,000,’’ he said — and framed further steps as engineering and cost‑analysis work to determine whether Grand Prairie would acquire the line or Ward would retain it.

Council members heard that, because the line sits outside Ward’s water district, state law prevents Ward from providing full service to a new subdivision on the line without Grand Prairie’s agreement. The mayor said the line’s original purpose was a well and that the well is now abandoned; restoring it to service would require building an entirely new structure at an estimated cost of about $2 million, according to comments recorded during the meeting.

Council approved a motion to continue discussions with Grand Prairie and to receive any engineering reports Grand Prairie’s firm produces; the mayor repeated that any transfer or sale would require further studies and come back to the council before any final agreement. The motion passed with a majority voice vote; Council member Brook voiced opposition during the tally.

What was said: • Mayor Charles Gaston described the legal boundary issue and the limited revenue and use tied to the line. • Council members asked questions about refunds, connection details and backup well availability; the mayor and staff said the well is abandoned and not practical to restore without major capital investment.

What’s next: Grand Prairie will pay its engineering firm to evaluate acquisition costs and share that report with Ward; any proposed sale or abandonment would return to the Ward City Council for formal action.