Engineers tell Brownsville council sewer system, lift stations need upgrades; income survey recommended to access funding

Bollig Engineering representatives told the Brownsville City Council on Oct. 2 that the city’s wastewater infrastructure has multiple needs that are eligible for outside funding if the city meets income-eligibility thresholds.

Kris Ambuehl and Bryan Caffin presented a needs assessment that flagged health and sanitation citations and described the collection system as generally serviceable but noted that lift stations are outdated and that several components are in poor condition. Bollig staff said the current sewer bed is larger than typical for the area and inefficient; it is also a likely source of below‑acceptable fecal limits on recent testing. The firm recommended upgrades to lift-station components and said the city should explicitly include stormwater control in any wastewater study because stormwater projects may also be eligible for grants.

Bollig recommended an income survey to demonstrate that at least 51% of city residents are low-to-moderate income, a standard threshold for many state and federal funding programs. The firm estimated the survey would cost about $15,000–$20,000 and suggested the city could conduct it in‑house or hire an outside vendor. Bollig also outlined the value of a preliminary engineering report but said the $45,000 cost could be deferred until outside funding is secured.

Council members asked questions about priorities and funding pathways. The presentation identified potential grant and assistance programs without committing the city to specific applications; Bollig offered to research funding opportunities for items such as Bluffview Manor improvements and lift-station upgrades.

Next steps: council did not vote on financing or scope at the meeting but was advised to consider an income survey and to prioritize lift-station repairs and inclusion of stormwater in a wastewater needs study.