Laredo advances water security plan alongside $1.7m in storage and treatment contracts

Laredo advances water security plan alongside $1.7m in storage and treatment contractsFacing limited water storage capacity, the Laredo City Council has directed the development of an Emergency Action Plan while pushing forward contracts for elevated storage design, surface water treatment optimization, and large meter replacements.

The City Council ordered an Emergency Action Plan focusing on water reclamation, recapture, and loss prevention to address limited storage capacity.

Tank Industry Consultants was awarded a $266,316 contract to design a new elevated storage tank, funded by a 2022 water revenue bond.

Carollo Engineers secured a $981,690 contract to assess and optimize the city's surface water treatment plants.

HST Utility Inc. will replace large water meters with Neptune Mach 10 ultrasonic units under a phased $467,250 contract.

The City of Laredo is aggressively pursuing an integrated water security strategy to address limited storage capacity and prevent future supply disruptions. During a May 4 meeting, the Laredo City Council approved the development of an Emergency Action Plan to bolster water storage. The directive emphasizes water reclamation, recapture, and the reduction of system water losses. City officials described the approach as an "integrated strategy" that includes line repairs to reduce system losses, demand management, and the exploration of secondary water sources. Officials noted that the utility has successfully avoided boil water notices for the past 16 months, but stressed that infrastructure upgrades must move forward strategically to balance operational reliability with ratepayer affordability. To support the city's long-term infrastructure needs, the council advanced a slate of utility contracts totaling more than $1.7 million. Tank Industry Consultants was awarded a $266,316 engineering services contract to design a new elevated storage tank. The project is funded through the city's 2022 Water Revenue Bond. The city also authorized a $981,690 professional consulting contract with Carollo Engineers for an assessment and optimization study of Laredo's surface water treatment plants, backed by the 2024 Water Revenue Bond. Additionally, the council awarded a $467,250 service contract to HST Utility Inc. to replace existing large water meters with Neptune Mach 10 ultrasonic water meters across various city locations. The phased rollout will begin immediately with a $125,800 Phase I authorization, funded by the 2024 Water Revenue Bond. In a related move touching on source water protection, the council also discussed a limited right-of-entry framework to allow city-contracted experts to analyze the Rio Grande. The coordinated analysis aims to assess potential harm to municipal water intake infrastructure and international bridges associated with proposed federal water buoy installations.