Mansfield advances $4.4 million water transmission project to address pressure shortfalls

Mansfield advances $4.4 million water transmission project to address pressure shortfallsThe city council has authorized engineering and surveying contracts to replace undersized mains, preparing for an estimated $3.4 million construction phase to boost capacity and fire flow in the northern upper pressure plane.

The council approved a $333,200 design contract with Parkhill Smith & Cooper and a $119,000 surveying contract with Brittain and Crawford for the US 287 to Main Street water line.

The project will install 12- and 16-inch water lines to replace existing 6- and 8-inch lines, addressing current system failures to meet capacity and fire flow demands.

An additional $518,700 was allocated for right-of-way and easement acquisitions, bringing the total pre-construction budget to $970,900.

The city also formalized an interlocal agreement with Arlington to provide water and wastewater services to properties on the municipal boundary.

The City of Mansfield, Texas, is advancing a critical water infrastructure project to resolve capacity and fire flow deficiencies in its northern upper pressure plane. During the April 27 city council meeting, officials unanimously approved $970,900 in funding to prepare the US 287 to Main Street water line project for public bidding and construction. The initiative, identified as Project H-15 in the city’s 2024 Water and Wastewater Master Plan, involves the installation of approximately 9,500 linear feet of 16-inch and 12-inch water lines. The new infrastructure will replace existing undersized 6-inch and 8-inch lines that currently fail to meet system demands. The alignment will begin at the intersection of Nelson Wyatt Road and North Main Street, extending east before transitioning to a 12-inch line along Woodland Drive and connecting to an existing line at US 287. "This is a priority project that was identified in the water master plan when we did the most recent update," Director of Engineering Services Raymond Coffman told the council. "We have some areas out here that are underserved... and we have those demands that need to be met. And this is the most efficient solution. It is a long line, but it is that connection from west to east that we do not have." The approved funding package is drawn from the city's Utility Fund. It includes a $333,200 professional services contract with Parkhill Smith & Cooper, Inc. for engineering design and a $119,000 contract with Brittain and Crawford, LLC for surveying services. Both contracts include contingencies for potential scope changes. The remaining $518,700 is earmarked for the purchase of easements and right-of-way. Addressing questions about the 5% design contingency, Coffman noted that the lower rate is appropriate because the pipeline primarily crosses open land rather than developed roadways burdened with existing franchise utilities. According to meeting documents, the estimated construction cost for the pipeline is $3,439,144. The city previously adopted an ordinance appropriating $2.9 million for the capital improvement project in its Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Utility Fund budget. The design phase is expected to conclude within 150 business days of commencement. In separate water utility business, the council approved an interlocal agreement with the neighboring City of Arlington to provide water and wastewater services to select properties on Mansfield's municipal boundaries. The agreement allows the properties to be served by Arlington's existing infrastructure, avoiding the need for Mansfield to extend its own lines. Mansfield will install its own meters at the properties, allowing residents to receive a single consolidated utility bill at Mansfield's standard rates.