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Resident asks council to study water-line options after $90,000 quote for West Rocket Road lot
Summary
Tommy O'Brien told council he bought nine acres on West Rocket Road and cannot get water; he presented a contractor estimate near $90,000 to extend a new line, offered $25,000 toward cost-sharing, and asked the city to study options; staff said replacement is not currently prioritized and that engineering and capacity checks will be returned to council.
Tommy O’Brien, who identified himself as living at 315 Daisy Lane, told the council he and his wife bought a nine-acre parcel at the end of West Rocket Road and cannot connect to city water because the existing line is old and appears undersized. He said a contractor quote to install a new line along the road was about $90,000 and proposed contributing roughly $25,000 toward a cost-share to make the connection feasible for existing and future properties.
O’Brien described other options he had considered: drilling a private well (which local contractors said could require drilling more than 2,000 feet to reach the Trinity and cost substantially more), or a smaller engineering study to test the current line’s capacity. He asked whether the city would consider a cost-share, an engineering study, or other assistance.
City staff and council members responded that the city’s standard practice is not to extend water lines for small, individual projects unless tied to significant development. Staff noted city ordinance generally requires new mains to be a minimum of 6 inches (to support fire protection) and that the existing line in that area may be 2 inches (galvanized) and possibly necks down to 1 inch in places. Staff said the city has done cost-share connections for larger developments (example: Windmill Preserve connection where costs were shared because hundreds of new connections arrived) but that this West Rocket Road line is not high on the scheduled replacement list.
Council asked staff to research specific technical questions (potholing to determine pipe size and capacity, whether the line could be extended, exact cost estimates, and whether neighboring property owners would be willing to cost-share). Staff agreed to return with answers and suggested bringing the matter back at the August meeting if additional information is ready. The transcript shows detailed procedural discussion but no formal motion or council commitment to fund the extension.
