WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS DISCUSS CONDITION OF CHAPPELL HILL WATER TOWER

  

The state of the Chappell Hill water tower was one of the focal points in a Washington County Commissioner workshop today (Tuesday).

Chappell Hill Water Supply Corporation President Sharlie Douglass told the court that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) sent a letter on January 24^th informing the corporation of violations with properly maintaining the elevated water tower and the lack of an emergency generator.

The letter from the TCEQ reads that “all clearwells, ground storage tanks, standpipes, and elevated tanks shall be painted, disinfected, and maintained in strict accordance with current AWWA (American Water Works Association) standards.”  Douglass said while the ground tank is good, the 30,000 gallon water tower, which was built in 1967, “has had essentially no maintenance, no attention in 12 years” and needs to be recoated inside and out.

Douglass said the corporation sought grant funding from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), but was not included in the list of funding recipients.  The funding would allow it to build an additional storage tank, which would then allow the ability to either restore the elevated tank or demolish it.

Douglass said a majority of Chappell Hill’s water customers are considered Low to Moderate Income (LMI), which could assist in getting a grant in the future.

Commissioner Candice Bullock said she has been in contact with State Representative Kyle Kacal to see if there is an opportunity in the short-term for the county to provide assistance to the corporation and potentially be reimbursed should the TWDB award a grant. 

Douglass said the corporation has received $10,000 in donations from the community thus far, but the overall need for this $400,000-$500,000 refurbishing project, plus another $100,000 for an emergency generator, is “pretty immediate.”

Anyone who would like to donate to the water tower project can go to https://chappellhillwater.com or contribute to the “Save the Water Tower” campaign account at Chappell Hill Bank.

The Chappell Hill Water Supply Board of Directors’ next meeting will be February 23^rd at 5:30 p.m. at the Masonic Lodge on Main Street.

During regular session at today’s meeting, commissioners:

• Held workshop discussion on county building projects, fire departments, equipment and a salary survey for county employees.
• Approved the purchase of an ambulance remount for $68,979 through the Houston-Galveston Area Council purchasing cooperative agreement.  The purchase will be made with budgeted machine and equipment funds.
• Approved the purchase of an ambulance idle mitigation system for $37,775 through the Houston-Galveston Area Council purchasing cooperative agreement.  The purchase will be made with American Rescue Plan Act funds. 
• Renewed the bonds for reserve deputy sheriffs William Scott Atwood, Justin Knuppel, Jimmy Morgan and Damon Wegner. 
• Approved budget line item transfers, budget amendments and accounts payable.