Drought forces Mineral Wells to seek new source of water
With the drought still showing no signs of ending, the raw water provider for Mineral Wells, about 50 miles west of Fort Worth, took steps Friday to guarantee the city doesn’t run dry.
Lake Palo Pinto, the main water source for Mineral Wells, is now only 10 percent full. Under current projections, it would run out next spring if it receives no new inflows.
In response to that dire forecast, the Palo Municipal Water District No. 1, which owns Lake Palo Pinto, has decided to build a reverse osmosis plant and secure water rights for the next three years from a rights holder on the Brazos River.
The plant, which would be used to purify the river water, will cost about $6 million and increase water rates by about 50 percent, said Scott Blasor, secretary-treasurer for the water district. Currently, a residential customer using 5,000 gallons pays $34.41 per month. The water district estimates that the reverse osmosis project would add $18.10 monthly, for a total of $52.51, a 53 percent increase.
“We believe this is the best option that best serves us for the long term,” Blasor said.
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With the drought still showing no signs of ending, the raw water provider for Mineral Wells, about 50 miles west of Fort Worth, took steps Friday to guarantee the city doesn’t run dry.
Lake Palo Pinto, the main water source for Mineral Wells, is now only 10 percent full. Under current projections, it would run out next spring if it receives no new inflows.
In response to that dire forecast, the Palo Municipal Water District No. 1, which owns Lake Palo Pinto, has decided to build a reverse osmosis plant and secure water rights for the next three years from a rights holder on the Brazos River.
The plant, which would be used to purify the river water, will cost about $6 million and increase water rates by about 50 percent, said Scott Blasor, secretary-treasurer for the water district. Currently, a residential customer using 5,000 gallons pays $34.41 per month. The water district estimates that the reverse osmosis project would add $18.10 monthly, for a total of $52.51, a 53 percent increase.
“We believe this is the best option that best serves us for the long term,” Blasor said.
The decision not only effects Mineral Wells, but also the towns of Graford, Palo Pinto, Santo and Millsap since those cities all buy water from Mineral Wells. All told that’s about 31,000 customers.
Palo Pinto County, like most of Tarrant County, remains in an exceptional drought. Currently about 10.7 million people in Texas are living in areas with some form of a drought, according to the latest drought monitor.
Mineral Wells Mayor Mike Allen said the city and the water district were left with few options since the four-year drought shows no signs of ending.
“I think they had a hard decision to make and they made a decision that is probably the most logical choice,” Allen said. “It’s going to raise the cost of water, but we have to have water.”
The water district also considered laying a pipeline to Lake Mineral Wells, but it only would have provided about a four-month supply.
Several small Palo Pinto County towns are also in danger of running out of water. Gordon and Mingus could run out by mid-February, and they have been in talks with nearby Strawn to tap into well water in rural areas to the south.
“I think we’ve decided the wells are our best option,” said Gordon City Secretary Barbara Epperson.
The Palo Pinto water district believes the Brazos River rights should help them survive a long-term drought until the $70 million Turkey Peak Reservoir just downstream from Lake Palo Pinto can be built. The proposed reservoir would double the city's water supply.
Turkey Peak is still in the application process with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, but Blasor said they hope to receive a state permit soon.
If the project remains on schedule, construction would start in 2018 and be completed in 2020.
Bill Hanna, 817-390-7698 Twitter: @fwhanna
http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/12...-wells-to.html
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