After several years of discussions and plans, Whitesboro city officials hope to finally break ground for an additional water tower later this month.
For city water, Whitesboro currently operates with a 250,000-gallon elevated storage tank that was built in 1965. The normal life expectancy for a tank is 50 to 60 years. Regarding the tank that is 59 years old, Director of Public Works Brad Williams said, “The City should get another 20 to 30 years from this tank. The City has made repeated investments to take good care of it, most recently refinishing the inside and painting both the inside and the outside of the tank.”
In addition to the existing tank, City of Whitesboro leaders have contracted for rights and access to water from Lake Texoma in the future event that outside resources are needed to support the water needs of the community.
For several years, City leaders and staff have been following the plans of the state’s water authority, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in the process toward the construction of a second elevated water storage tank for the residents of the City of Whitesboro.
The TCEQ mandates that when a water district reaches 85% of its available water meters, said district must initiate steps for additional water provision.
These steps began in 2021 when Whitesboro’s Economic/Industrial Development Corporations kicked off the endeavor by putting the project on the ballot, holding public hearings, and partnering with the City by allocating up to $2 million for the project. Another $300,000 has been allocated for engineering fees, and over $285,000 has already been incurred for this service.
In consideration of future needs, the elevated storage tank will accommodate 1 million gallons of water. Engineering, specifications and the Request for Pricing were completed in the fall of 2024. Bids were officially received on Dec. 19, 2024. Interim City Administrator Phil Harris said, “We are thrilled with the response and ready to move forward with awarding the bid and hoping to break ground in January.”
The new tank will be located across from the Oakwood Cemetery on Business Hwy 56 West. While adding the tank is a critical element of water availability, the City is also using this project to accomplish a major advancement in its delivery by adding a “ring of water” or distribution loop. Such a loop has been unavailable in the west service area but is desirable to keep water flowing in cases of leaks or interruptions in service and to support the highest possible quality of water supplied to your homes and businesses.
After awarding the bid, which is expected in City Council action on Tuesday, Jan. 14, the next task will be contract negotiations and execution between the contractor and the City. Once there is a contract in place, manufacturing and installation of the tank is expected to take approximately 18 months. It is anticipated that crews will begin work within a month.
Source: Freepik.com