Texas approves $52M for water, wastewater, stormwater projects

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has recently approved $52,913,408 in financial assistance for water, wastewater, and stormwater projects.

The funds were distributed to seven projects through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), and the Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF). The awarded projects are as follows:

• The City of Edinburg received $44 million, consisting of $43.9 million in financing and $75,000 in principal forgiveness through the CWSRF. The city will use the funds for the planning, acquisition, design, and construction of a wastewater system improvement project: a three-phased project will raise a wastewater treatment plant’s capacity to 13.5 million gallons daily, construct a new wastewater treatment plant, and diver existing flow to the new plant.
• The City of Mertzon received $4.6 million, consisting of $1.4 million in financing and $3.2 million in principal forgiveness through the CWSRF, for a wastewater treatment plant improvement project. Through the project, the city plans to optimize the plant’s performance.
• The City of Marlin received $2.8 million, consisting of $970 in financing and $1.9 million in principal forgiveness through the CWSRF for a drainage system improvement project. The city has plans to upgrade and incorporate additional stormwater collection infrastructure into its collection system as part of the city’s efforts to reduce flooding and protect water quality.
• The City of Grand Saline received $550,000 from the FIF for a flood management project. The city has plans to replace damaged culverts and install about 450 linear feet of bank stabilization materials. The improvements are estimated to meet a 20-year storm event.
• The City of Melvin received $300,000 for water system improvements through the DWSRF. The city has plans to rehabilitate its existing 40,000-gallon ground storage tank and to replace about 2,100 feet of water line. The city also plans to install new shutoff valves and replace additional water lines as funding allows.
• The City of Rising Star received $300,000 through the DWSRF for a water system improvement project as well. The city will replace a portion of its existing drinking water distribution system, targeting the sections most prone to leaks, in order to mitigate water loss and reduce maintenance costs.
• The City of Miles received $269,608 for the planning of a water supply project. The city is developing an asset management plan as well as a long-term water supply strategy that will identify and evaluate alternative water supply options.

The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional water and flood planning, and preparing the state water and flood plans.