By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
City council members learned the city will likely draw from a wide variety of state and
federal programs for low-interest loans to fund priority water and wastewater
infrastructure projects.
City Manager Shawna Burkhart gave a presentation on those prospective funding sources
during the council’s meeting on Tuesday.
Burkhart began her presentation by showing council members a spreadsheet she had
prepared on the potential funding sources for pending city water and wastewater projects.
Before beginning her presentation, Burkhart told the council, “Please know that this is a
work in progress and it can change at any time, up or down, depending on the source of
funding.
Burkhart first spoke about the East Springs wall repair and rehabilitation project. She said
the city will have to finance about $1.7 million on top of the $200,000 already set aside
for the work. She said the city will likely use a loan-interest loan from the Texas Military
Revolving Loan Fund Program for the work on the wall.
“We have narrowed down what we think are the best and most efficient and effective
sources currently for the city to utilize for funding these projects,” Burkhart told the
council.
The next project Burkhart discussed is the development of a new municipal water well,
previously identified as the city’s top priority water project.
Burkhart said the current estimated cost for development of the well is $14,388,924.
“We propose to use the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) State Water
Implementation Fund, which are SWIFT funds. Please note that the SWIFT funds are
what (Public Works Director) Greg (Velazquez) worked on two years ago and has been
able to garner for us, for this project, $12,695,000, (and) $1,693,924 would have to be
leveraged through the Texas Military Value Revolving Loan Fund to complete the total
of. . . $14,388,924,” she said.
Burkhart said the number three priority project for the city has changed, from
development of the Agarita well to the replacement of filtration racks at the city’s water
treatment plant.
Burkhart said, “Why is that? Well, we applied for SWIFT funds two years ago for this
specific purpose, and now they’re saying we can actually use those funds for this
purpose. It is important, and we do need to replace that filtration system within four
years, so we are proposing the Texas Water Development Board’s SWIFT funds for
$3,458,400 and the Texas Military Value Revolving Loan Fund for $4,880,000 and
change.”
Burkhart told the council, “The rest of (the projects on) this spreadsheet (are) important,
but not feasible at this time in terms of financing, and so I leave that with you for your
consideration.”
Those projects include $21.2 million in Bedell infrastructure improvements, $5.6 million
for a water loss audit and water main line repairs, $2 million for the rehabilitation of the
Agarita well, $45.2 million in water main improvements Phase 2 and 3 and $422,587 for
San Felipe Regional Stormwater Facilities.
Burkhart then moved on to discuss prospective funding sources for the city’s priority
wastewater projects.
Burkhart said, “Let’s start with priority one. Silverlake Northwide Sewer Outfall Phase 2,
that’s $23,500,000. Total project estimate at $30.5 million; $7 million is already
available, so $23 million is really what this second phase will cost.”
“The next-most important item, is the Silverlake Wastewater Treatment Plant
improvements, oxidation ditch number two. Many of you, when we toured the sewer
plant, saw our oxidation ditches and how full they are, we definitely have to make
improvements to those ditches. This is $2 million, and we would use WIFIA funds.
WIFIA only pays 49 percent, so we would have to find additional funding sources,”
Burkhart said.
She explained WIFIA is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Water
Infrastructure and Innovation Act.
The third wastewater project is improvements to the Silverlake Wastewater Treatment
Plant.
“(This is) upgrading the RAS/WAS pumps and that’s $1 million, and we do not have a
specified funding source for that as of yet,” Burkhart said.
“(The fourth project is) the Silverlake Wastewater Treatment Plant oxidation ditch and
hydraulic improvements. That’s $2.8 million. The total project is estimated at $4 million,
but we do have $1.2 million funds available,” the city manager said.
“So if you total all of these up. . . (that’s) $29,300,000 for wastewater, and those are
urgent. So when you add them all up, you’re well over $50 million, between water and
sewer, and there is probably no way we can finance that all at one time,” Burkhart told
the council.
Mayor Al Arreola asked the council if there were any questions, and hearing none,
moved on to the next item on the council agenda.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
