City water, sewer have urgent repairs

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  The sewer line across from 5D Steakhouse has collapsed and is being replaced with PVC pipe. STAFF PHOTO

  The sewer line across from 5D Steakhouse has collapsed and is being replaced with PVC pipe. STAFF PHOTO

Hopefully, by the time this story publishes, Yorktown’s “Massey” water well on 12th Street will be repaired. If not, the city may need to ask for voluntary rationing of water.

This, as well as a major sewer line repair near Apple Lumber, was the urgent business on the agenda at the Yorktown City Council on Aug. 26. Also, more than 10 residents attended to voice concerns over a roaming pack of dogs that is killing small animals for pleasure. (See separate story) On the business as usual agenda were the proposed tax rate and city budget. The council set Sept. 9 at 6 p.m. as the public hearing on the proposed tax rate and budget. Council approved .51345 per $100 valuation as the proposed tax rate. On the budget, Mayor Bill Baker said the focus of the $1,386,966 proposed expenditures were employees, streets and infrastructure.

Mayor Bill Baker said “the Massey” twisted a shaft, which stops the pump from spinning.

He said the same problem happened three years ago, so the city has contracted with a company out of San Antonio that specializes in this technology: Advanced Water Technologies.

Council approved the estimated repair of $108,000.

“We didn’t have a choice,” Baker said. “When you have two wells and one goes out, you’re one step away from not having any water.”

As for water rationing, Baker said with the recent rains and the company making progress on repairs, it likely won’t be necessary.

“But if it strings out (the repairs), it’s common sense that we may need voluntary rationing,” he said. “The rains were a big help. Between the rain and the repairs coming along, we’re hoping not to need rationing.”

On the sewer line repair, council approved a repair estimate of approximately $75,000 with Mercer Construction to replace the collapsed line.

“It’s been a tremendous problem with Apple Lumber,” Baker said. “The ultimate price depends on where we stop working. We have two or three major businesses near there and we have to get this fixed.”

Another item discussed was a request for a variance for drilling a commercial water well for Plymouth Fluids on property located 714 N. Riedel Street.

Jennifer Webb, a real estate agent with Weischwill Real Estate, described the project on behalf of Plymouth Fluids, which has 12 locations in Texas. The company has plans for a 9.9 acre facility that will run 42,000 gallons a day of brine wastewater through the sewer system. A total of 4.2 million gallons a month.

There will not be many employees and Webb did not have information to share from TCEQ. She said they hope to open within a year and a half, and they will not come to Yorktown without a variance.

Baker and the council had many questions about the project which will be discussed at future meetings.

Another request was for a variance on alcohol restrictions at a business within 300 feet of a school or church. The newly opened Angelica’s Restaurant shares a property line with Yorktown ISD.

Council asked if they could put a time stipulation, like after 5:00, and the consensus was it would not be fair to ask one business selling alcohol to limit time and not ask all There was no action taken on the request.

Finally, the council approved two items for the Public Works Department: a heavier excavator from Kubota than was approved in June and a bid on a used hydrovac.

The heavier model will cost about $10,000 more. “We could get by with the lighter one, but this will serve us better,” Travis Peyton, director of public works, said.

Council also authorized a bid for a used Premier Hydrovac from the City of Cuero. “This will put the city in the position to do stuff we never could before,” Peyton said. “Basically bring us up to the times.”