BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL APPROVES AGREEMENTS FOR WATER PLANT EXPANSION PLANNING, GROUNDWATER STUDY
The City of Brenham is taking a closer look at options to expand its water system and add water supply.
The Brenham City Council at its meeting today (Thursday) approved a professional services agreement with Strand Associates not to exceed $110,000 for engineering services related to a water source evaluation and a water treatment plant expansion plan. It also approved a consulting services agreement with R.W. Harden & Associates for no more than $24,500 to perform a groundwater availability study.
General Manager of Public Utilities Debbie Gaffey said Strand’s evaluation will take six months to complete and will be part of a five-year timeline for the study, design and construction for water plant expansion. The agreement with Strand will consist of assessing water needs, different water sources to supplement Lake Somerville, and options to increase the city’s water treatment ability.
Gaffey said she is hoping to come back to the council with options to consider from the study in February.
As part of R.W. Harden & Associates’ look into groundwater, Gaffey said the firm will do a “deep dive” into compiling and reviewing hydrogeologic information and estimate water availability using flow modeling for meeting long-term needs. She said it will look along the city’s water supply line extending from the lake intake into town and out towards Chappell Hill to see what is available and feasible for a second source. The city will receive a report and presentation after the study is complete.
Councilmember Atwood Kenjura asked if the city would need to stop issuing permits if it is growing too fast for its water capacity. Development Services Director Stephanie Doland said she and Gaffey hold pre-development meetings before projects are submitted for review in order to keep close tabs on what is coming through.
Doland said it will take daily, weekly and monthly check-ins to make sure everything is moving in the right direction, adding that the city will do what it can to accommodate everyone. When Kenjura asked if there is a possibility the city would at some point have to say no, Gaffey said, “We’re trying not to.”
Also at today’s meeting, the council:
- Received a development services department update.
- Appointed members to serve on the city’s housing task force.
- Approved a resolution repealing and rescinding previous resolutions concerning the city’s gas fund and maintenance of cash reserves. It then approved a resolution for a $1 million letter of credit with Bank of Brenham for gas fund reserves, with an annual fee of $12,500. City Manager Carolyn Miller said with rising gas prices and legal fees related to Winter Storm Uri, it has become more challenging to consistently maintain the cash reserve balance required by its gas supplier, Municipal Gas Acquisition and Supply Corporation. A letter of credit will satisfy the supplier’s requirements.
- Approved a resolution providing for a temporary moratorium on the application, receipt, processing, consideration, approval and/or execution of leases of city-owned real property at the Brenham Municipal Airport. The moratorium is to provide time to complete the Airport Master Plan.
- Approved an ordinance on its first reading to abandon the undeveloped portion of Live Oak Street bounded to the south by Sycamore Street and located to the east of the northeast intersection of North Chappell Hill Street and Sycamore Street.
Click here to view the agenda packet for Thursday's meeting.