City staff flags TCEQ violations at Cedar Breaks and seeks roughly $247,000 for pump‑house replacement and repairs

Ernesto (Public Works) briefed the council that the Cedar Breaks irrigation system has operated manually since a 2018 lightning strike disabled automation, leaving many irrigation cannons inoperable and making accurate effluent tracking unreliable. TCEQ’s enforcement letter identified two violations; staff relocated fines into Supplemental Environmental Projects so the funds are applied toward repairs rather than paid as fines.

Ernesto described operational challenges: approximately 150 irrigation cannons, about 20 unreachable units due to impassable trails, widespread blowouts and leaks on lines, and required daily manual labor that has driven substantial overtime and limited staff availability for other duties. He showed photographs of a corroded pump house and explained that the PLC and control systems are end‑of‑life and that local repairs would not be reliable.

Staff provided a vendor estimate for a prefabricated pump house plus installation and crane services: pump station $211,000.85; labor $26,400; miscellaneous electrical and fittings $2,189; crane services $6,000 — total approximately $247,242.75. Ernesto said the prefabricated approach is the most cost‑effective and consistent with the original manufacturer, would include a stated warranty (six years on some electrical components including coverage for lightning damage for parts and two years on piping/pumps/motors), and that many pump components could be salvaged as spares.

Councilors pressed for a fuller cost picture. Questions included whether SCADA integration and replacement of irrigation heads were included in the estimate (staff said additional SCADA work would be an extra cost, and replacement heads were a material cost to be handled in‑house where feasible), whether insurance claims had been filed after the 2018 strike (staff could not confirm earlier claims, and council directed follow‑up), and whether the City could wait until a larger package was assembled (staff advised Cedar Breaks is time‑sensitive because prefabrication lead times are long; the onsite install is short but delivery about 40 weeks). Council asked staff to compile a total package cost for Cedar Breaks repairs and the broader effluent‑system needs and to return with a recommendation for an action item.

Ernesto recommended repairing the pump house and irrigation heads as a priority to restore automated compliance, reduce overtime and avoid further TCEQ penalties; staff will return with a consolidated scope and cost estimate for Cedar Breaks and related effluent repairs.