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Victoria council approves pump purchase and hears multiple water/wastewater updates
Summary
Council approved spending $30,000 for pumps to switch the water plant from chlorine gas to sodium hypochlorite (split $15,000 Park fund / $15,000 General fund from IDA repayment) and received updates on the Tidewater sewer rebuild, leachate testing, DOC tank inspection, and other system needs.
Victoria — Town Manager Rodney Newton briefed the council May 13 on several water and wastewater infrastructure items and obtained council approval to fund pumps needed to convert the water plant from chlorine gas to sodium hypochlorite.
Newton presented photos and a $30,000 estimate for two pumps required for the liquid-bleach system and recommended paying $15,000 from the Park fund and $15,000 from the General fund using repayment from the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) for the 300 Court Street project. Councilmember James G. Elam Jr. moved to proceed with the recommendation; Councilmember Christopher Garrett seconded and the motion carried.
Newton also updated members on the Tidewater sewer rebuild stretching from W. 7th Street to W. 10th Street, noting complications on W. 7th–W. 8th and that a manhole will be set next with repaving to follow; work will continue several more weeks. He said the town will meet with the Department of Environmental Quality on May 15 about leachate and reported small, controlled introductions of leachate at the Grove Avenue pump station have produced positive ammonia readings so far.
On the town’s contractual relationship with the Department of Corrections, Newton said water rates for the facility have not changed since 2012 and sewer rates since 2020. He provided photos of the DOC-owned 300,000-gallon tank; Southern Corrosion’s visual inspection found exterior paint deterioration and likely need for interior coating; Newton will report back next month.
Why it matters: The pump purchase authorizes a capital change in disinfection method that has operational and safety implications for the water plant; the Tidewater sewer and leachate testing relate to ongoing wastewater system reliability. Work on DOC infrastructure and tank maintenance may affect town operations tied to a contractual customer.
Next steps: Procurement and installation of the pumps will proceed; staff will continue sewer rebuild work, meet with DEQ on leachate, and return with further updates on the tank inspection and basin concrete assessment.
