A permanent fix for Rock-dale’s red water woes may be one step closer as the Rockdale City Council on Monday okayed applying for $45,090,000 in Texas Water Development Grant funds for a system overhaul.
Meeting in a special session at City Hall, the council heard Bob Lane of KSA Engineers predict the package—replacing all water lines installed before 1970, plus-new treatment facilities—would fix “all the problems.”
Oct. 5 is the deadline to apply and Monday’s session was called to allow the council to act before that date.
LOANS—As now constructed, the project would be a loan, accomplished with revenue bonds and paid out with water rate increases.
City Manager Chris Whittaker was given the flexibility to lower the amount sought or seek a different approach to payout.
Revenue bonds were also discussed Monday.
There had been some hope Rockdale might qualify for loan forgiveness, essentially a grant.
Whittaker noted the city was ranked 50th of 130 municipalities in its initial rating—which got Rockdale to the next round—and said the No. 50 ranking probably would not obtain forgiveness, if it stands.
“But it all depends on how many of those cities above us actually go ahead and apply,” he said. “We could move way up on the list if a number did not choose to proceed.”
At the September regular session Whittaker said Rockdale’s water system is “failing” and noted over 1,200 line breaks were fixed in less than a three-year period.
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