By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
City council members during their most recent meeting gave City Manager Shawna Burkhart the
thumbs-up to take the next step in the second phase of a major water line replacement project.
Del Rio City Council members voted 7-0 during their Dec. 16 meeting to approve a resolution
authorizing and directing Burkhart to advertise and give notice of a request for qualifications for
the Del Rio Water Pipeline Replacement Project Phase 2.
Earlier in the same meeting, Burkhart called on City Public Works Director Greg Velazquez to
give council members an update on several ongoing city water infrastructure projects, including
the water pipeline replacement project.
Velazquez told the council, “As we mentioned at the town hall meetings and in the public
hearing, when I started in 2021 with the city of Del Rio as public works director, this project of
the water distribution lines Phase 2 had been in the works since 2016.
“We’re finally going to see it come to fruition, and we have before you tonight the request for
proposals for this project. The (project) engineer is TetraTech, the contractor is to be determined.
The estimated future cost is $14 million to $15 million. In Fiscal Year 2025-2026, the adopted
budget is zero dollars. The city has estimated $5.3 million in funds available from future COs
(certificates of obligation), 2019B and 2019D,” Velazquez added.
Velazquez said the city is in the process of applying for an estimated $8 million grant from the
North American Development Bank (NADBank) to help fund the project.
Here, Velazquez thanked an individual who formerly worked for the city, for TetraTech and for
NADBank “for helping and guiding me in how to apply for this NADBank grant.”
“We were looking at a $3 (million) to $5 (million) grant, and I believe we’re getting $8 million
from NADBank,” Velazquez told the council.
Mayor Al Arreola asked when the NADBank loan process would be completed, and Velazquez
replied, “Should be by the end of December.”
Velazquez said, “This is why I am also happy to announce that we have approval from Texas
Water Development Board for the plans submittal that were submitted by TetraTech. We just got
this yesterday (Dec. 15).”
Later in the meeting, council members took up consideration of the resolution authorizing Burkhart to advertise and give notice of a request for qualifications for the project.
In a memo to council included in the informational packet, the scope of work for the project
includes “construction of water distribution system pipelines and components replacing existing
water infrastructure and are as follows: approximately 41,650 linear feet of 8-inch diameter
water mains and 4,800 linear feet of 12-inch diameter water transfer line” in north central Del
Rio.
After City Secretary Mari Acosta read the heading of the agenda item, Arreola asked if there was
a motion on the resolution. Mayor Pro-tem Jim DeReus made a motion to approve the resolution,
with Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez giving the second.
Arreola asked if there were any questions or concerns. Hearing none, he called for a vote on the
motion, which was 7-0 to approve.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
