(no subject)

Sep 27, 2008 19:52

Herm. It seems Cuero has a bit of a problem.
"Cuero: Seeing poor utility conditions."

BY SONNY LONG - SLONG@VICAD.COM
September 17, 2008 - 10:18 p.m.
    CUERO - The residents of Cuero are living on the edge, and most people here probably don’t even know it.

    The city’s water and wastewater systems are in a serious state of disrepair and if plans aren’t put in place soon for preventative and continuing maintenance, the results could be dire, said Leonard Young, the city’s consulting engineer.

    “I urge you to act quickly,” Young told the city council Monday night. “The treatment plant concerns me. It’s a corrosive environment, so you can’t wait. At the first sign of problems, you need to attack it. There are safety issues with electrical problems that need to be fixed or you need to shut your facility down.”

    The engineer told council members that permits to operate the city’s facilities could also be in jeopardy.

    “You are one action away from being in a permit violation,” said Young, the president of Young Professional Resources hired in July to assess the city’s infrastructure situation. “You are close in a lot of areas not being able to meet your permit requirements.”

    Young’s presentation Monday included overviews of the city’s water system, sewer system, treatment plant and water production facility. None of the areas have preventative maintenance programs nor any standardized practices, policies and procedures, he said.

    Young pointed out that Cuero is losing money every year in an unaccounted water loss of more than 30 percent.

    Mayor Randy Saenz said the city has lost $4 million during the last eight years in water and sewer revenue.

    “You’re losing revenue. No matter the amount, you need to try and recover your money. That’s the way good utility companies operate,” Young said.

    Young’s presentation also revealed other problems with the water system including old water lines, small diameter asbestos pipes, and numerous line breaks that are patched instead of repaired. Young said the maps and records systems are below standard.

    The sewer system also contains old, small diameter clay or concrete pipes with numerous stoppages and overflows. At the wastewater treatment plant the buildings are decaying with numerous electrical problems, rust, and corrosion throughout the plant. Pumps and motors are failing and the system has no backup power. Pumps and motors are also failing in the water production system and electrical components are failing and decaying. The aeration system has failed and tanks routinely overflow.

    The engineer said that planning needs to begin now.

    “You have to look beyond this year. Planning is something this community has not done a good job of,” Young said. “You are running the risk of possible regulatory violations, penalties and fines.”

    He also commended the council for expenditures in the 2008-09 budget that begin to address some of the problems.

    “You’ve demonstrated through some of your budget recommendations that you’ll do the right thing.”

    Council members responded.

    “I don’t think we’ve been disinterested,” said Linda Henderson, the longest serving member on the city council at 10 years. “I don’t think we had enough information. You’ve given us a path to follow.”

    Saenz agreed.

    “Our eyes have been opened,” the mayor said. “It’s our duty and responsibility to be proactive.”

    Fix It Now, Or…
    Engineer Leonard Young made the following general recommendations to the Cuero City Council to address problems with its water and sewer systems.

    1. Identify and address problems within the systems.
    2. Develop a deferred maintenance plan for the next five years.
    3. Develop long-range plans for upgrades and improvements (Capital Improvement Plan)
    4. Address lack of preventative maintenance.

    He also recommended the city hire a pump mechanic and an electrician.


Wow, that's just... wow.
Why haven't heard anyone talk about it?
And I'm amazed that no one told me that someone set the mayor's family car on fire.
Previous post Next post
Up