Mercedes Accepts $3.7 M for Sewage System Upgrade

By Allen Essex, Valley Morning Star, Thursday, February 18, 2010

Mercedes – City leaders have approved a grant agreement with the Texas Water Development Board for $3.7 million in additional federal stimulus funds for a sewage collection and treatment system upgrade project. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds will come from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, funneled through the Texas Water Development Board’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund, said City Manager Ricardo Garcia said Tuesday.

Total investment by federal and state agencies and the city will be $19.4 million he [Mr. Garcia] said. The total TWDB contribution to the project will be $9,748,802.00, according to a letter from state officials. The sewer system upgrade financing also includes a $7.5 million low-interest loan to the city from TWDB, Garcia said. A $1.2 million federal Economic Development Administration grant will also help pay for upgrades, he said.

The project will rehabilitate the city’s wastewater treatment facility and increase its capacity by 130 percent, Garcia said. Also 16 pumping stations will be rehabilitated and several sewage collection lines around the city will be replaced, he said. The latest $3.7 million stimulus grant requires that reports on the use of the funds be filed by TWDB deadlines, the letter from J. Kevin Ward, executive administrator of the TWDB, states.

In other business this week commissioners approved:

§  $84,568 in fund transfers to pay for emergency sewer line repairs in September;

§  A contract with Mata-Villarreal-Garcia Design Group for renovation of city offices;

§  A May 8 city election for Place 2 and Place 4 City Commission seats, held by Leonard Garcia Jr. and Dianna G. Tovar, respectively. So far, no challengers have filed as candidates, City Secretary Arcelia Felix said.

§  An ordinance was approved to change Caroline Street to Irma Street and Normalinda Street to David Street for Tiger Crossing Subdivision off 10^th Street near Mercedes Junior High School.