Reprint from the Progress Times - April 25, 2008
©Progress Times 2008 - All Rights Reserved

Alton vying to provide sewer services

 

The City of Alton must now wait 30 days after filing an application to provide sewer utilities to the 819 acre area of La Homa, Bentsen Palm and Mile 7 Road where currently, there are no entities providing service.

"We put in the application on the 18th so we should know in a 30 day notice period," said Alton City Manager Jorge Arcaute. "There is no concern voiced by anybody typically with these things and most often, if there is opposition, it will come from another utility that believes it can provide service better."

The move began with the city taking a look at expanding their current system through a new round of state money via the Economically Distressed Areas Program (EDAP).

"Our system is right up to the City of La Feria at Moorefield and we are looking at some of the colonias not brought in under the first EDAP project in 1999," said Arcaute. "There are several colonias out there with about 453 current water cus­tomers. We’re confident about being able to provide service because we have an interlocal agreement with McAllen and they are the ones who treat the water."

If approved, the city will be facing the need for updated facilities to service the new area.

"We’re probably looking at at least one lift station and cer­tainly the extention of laterals all to be determined later by engineers," said Arcaute. "This is a lengthy process. Typically after you find out the scope of your project you do a preliminary study that might take a year or even a year and a half, mean­while you look at plans. The best case scenario is that you’re looking at two and a half years before this service reaches the people."