BURTON CITY COUNCIL HEARS NEXT STEPS IN WATER WELL DRILLING PROJECT

  

Burton City Councilmembers heard an update on Tuesday about the city’s active project to drill a new water well.

City of Burton Utility Clerk Rachel Belvin said the project is in the cementing phase, which is what prompted the issuance of Stage 5 water restrictions on Monday.  She said the restrictions are planned to run through Friday, but the timeline might need to be extended because some dates have moved around with work at the well.

Dustin Lozano, Burton’s utility contractor, said when the cementing is performed, the plan is to temporarily turn off the existing well, which is located near the new one at Burton City Hall.  This is so the current well does not affect the wet cement at the new well.  Lozano said the original plan was to turn it off for 24 hours starting today (Wednesday) at noon, but it is now scheduled to take place tomorrow (Thursday) at noon.

Lozano added that he does not expect a boil water notice will be needed.  He did note that later on, the city will have to do a 36-hour test which will require the water to be turned off.

Burton Mayor Karen Buck said the city is able to hold 90,000 gallons of water, and the typical usage per day averages 51,000 gallons. 

The council later approved a change order to the contract for the water well, originally awarded to C. Miller Drilling, Inc. for $1,207,077.  The change order carries an extra $32,790 for add-ons to the project such as additional 12-inch cemented steel casing, carbon steel pipe and stainless steel screening.  However, it also deducts $33,790 for several cost-saving measures, so the net is a cost reduction of $1,000.

In other business, the council continued discussion from last month about a water line under FM 2780, which is currently undergoing work with TxDOT as it installs a new culvert and widens the road.  Last month, the council met with residents who are directly impacted by the project; construction crews had to stop when they found the private water line running through the culvert in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. 

One option available to the residents was for TxDOT to put in a bore under the roadway to allow them to continue receiving city water, but they would need to reimburse the city for the expense of the bore, since taxpayer money cannot be used to fund private lines.  The other option, which the residents are indicating they plan to pursue, is to drill water wells on their own properties.  Since the latter option requires no city involvement, the council removed the item from the agenda. 

During her monthly mayor’s report, Buck said the council will need to meet again at noon on July 15^th to take up a letter in support of Burton Friends and Neighbors, who is looking to apply for grant funding through the Lower Colorado River Authority. 

Councilmember Paul McLaughlin, giving his first report on the newly created subdivision committee, said the first meeting last week led to productive discussion, but no consensus yet on how the city should craft its subdivision ordinance.  He hopes that by the committee’s next meeting, it will have suggestions for the council to act on.  A public hearing will be held for whatever recommendations are presented.