By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
City council members this week took the next step toward the drilling of a new water well to augment the city’s dwindling water supply.
The council voted unanimously during a special meeting Tuesday to approve an ordinance authorizing and directing Interim City Manager Manuel Chavez to approve the modification of a contract with Jimenez Engineering, doing business as International Consulting Engineers, in the amount of $54,950 for professional services.
The ordinance authorizes the modification of an existing contract in place with the engineering firm, which is creating an addendum to the city’s water master plan.
In background information on the ordinance presented to the council by City Purchasing Agent Luis Menchaca, he wrote the council in July 2023 authorized the city manager to approve a contract with International Consulting Engineers for $224,404 for an addendum to the city’s water master plan.
Menchaca wrote of the addendum, “The addendum to the water master plan is needed to address the city’s continued growth in population. The addendum plan will address growth, expansion, hydraulic processes, capacity needs and reservoir needs, such as ground storage needs versus elevated storage needs, in order to supply capacity and pressure for additional multistory commercial buildings. Additionally, the addendum also addresses the need for an alternate water source.”
Of the modification before the council on Tuesday, Menchaca wrote, “The proposed modification to the awarded contract will assist in the geophysical survey of the archery range (site north of the city golf course) to provide an additional water source for the city of Del Rio. Data will be prepared in the form of a presentation to support the interpretation of the geologic/hydrogeologic conditions. This will allow the city of Del Rio to select a preferred location to conduct drilling for a pilot hole to confirm groundwater availability.”
Menchaca added once the data from the geophysical survey has been placed into a presentation format, it will be presented to city staff, who will in turn present it to the council along with a recommendation on how to proceed.
After Mayor Al Arreola read the heading of the agenda item during Tuesday’s meeting, he called for a motion and second on the ordinance.
Councilman J.P. Sanchez made the motion to approve the ordinance, and Councilman Jim DeReus gave the second.
Arreola asked if there were any questions. When there were none, Arreola called for the vote, and the motion to approve the ordinance passed unanimously.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
