Bandera council approves emergency $49,900 for wastewater-plant repairs

The Bandera City Council unanimously approved an emergency expenditure of up to $49,900 on May 12 to repair the city's aging wastewater treatment plant and address immediate TCEQ compliance risks.

City staff told the council the plant is more than 50 years old and that some replacement parts cannot be purchased off-the-shelf and must be manufactured. Staff said broken rotary fans are impairing the aeration system; to remove bearings and a shaft roller the crew will need a forklift and boom truck and must perform the work while the plant remains online. "The plant is over 50 years old... it's so old that we can't get parts; we have to have them manufactured," a staff member said during the meeting.

Council discussion noted the repair is not budgeted and available funds would come from the council contingency and a miscellaneous projects line; the expenditure as presented was $49,900. A council member moved and another seconded the emergency spending; the council voted by voice, and the motion passed with no opposition. Staff estimated the repair work could take one to two weeks and said temporary floating aerators will be used while repairs proceed so the plant cannot be shut down.

The action responds to water-quality testing obligations enforced by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Council members asked about timing, cost controls and the source of funds; staff said they will attempt to reduce the final invoice if a less-expensive fix is found in the field. The council did not set further hearings on the repair but authorized the procurement needed to start work immediately.

The council's packet lists the expenditure as an emergency repair to avoid escalating regulatory violations; no further financial details or contractor names were provided at the meeting.