By Allen Essex, Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas
Aug. 21--HARLINGEN Â-- The continuing drought caused a spike in water line breaks during July, taxing workers and the city's ability to keep up with parts needed to fix them, an official said Thursday.
"The number of water line breaks went up dramatically," WaterWorks General Manager Darrell Gunn said. "Normally, we'd have an average of 30 to 40 breaks a month. But we had 267 in July. As a result of this, we had 2,000 hours of overtime."
Drought conditions cause shifting and cracking of soil, which causes damage to water and sewer lines.
Major cities such as San Antonio and Houston are having the same problem, Gunn said.
"In Houston, every 51 minutes, they're having a water line break," he said.
"Although WaterWorks employees like to get overtime pay, the extra-heavy workload at all hours of the day or night is taxing on the personal lives of workers."
One recent water line break on Ed Carey Drive was massive, he said. "It could have easily taken the system down," he said.
He praised WaterWorks employees for quick action to repair the system.
The frequent breaks are straining the ability of warehouse workers to keep parts on hand, and even is making it difficult
for commercial suppliers to provide parts on an emergency basis, Gunn said.
Board members learned at a meeting Thursday that water service will be disconnected at the Roundhouse M.P. railroad roundhouse at Fair Park because of an $849 overdue bill for water and sewer and $246 for garbage service.
According to officials, other delinquent accounts in excess of $500 include: Rosemont of Highland Gardens, apartments, 1902 E. Tyler Ave., $7,500 for water and sewer service, $354 for garbage pickup; Florida USA, 2409 Rio Hondo Road, apartments, $1,496 for water and sewer, $521 for garbage pickup; Naval Reserve Center, 1300 Fair Park Blvd., $213, for water and sewer, $1,533 for garbage collection; and Parkwood Townhouses, 2505 S. Parkwood St., apartments, $4,275
for water and sewer services, $1,469 for garbage pickup.
Contracts for supplies, construction projects and professional services were approved by the board:
--A $113,649 purchase contract for materials to replace filters 5 and 6 at the downtown water treatment plant for W WaterTech Inc.WaterWorks employees will replace the filter materials during the low use winter months, staff members said.
--A $267,000 maximum engineering contract with Green Rubiano & Associates Structural Engineers for design work on the headworks project at sewage treatment plant No. 2 near the landfill and transfer station.
H A $165,000 contract for Lumen Electric of Los Frensos to re-roof the warehouse at 114 N. L St.
--Annual bids for parts and supplies to HD Supply Waterworks Inc., Brownsville, $118,697; Aquaworks Pipe & Suply LLC, Brownsville, $18,273; and ACT Pipe & Supply, Pharr, $75,425.
--A maximum of $50,000 to buy chlorine on the open market, rather than extending a contract with Acetylene Oxygen Co., due to a price increase.
WaterWorks may purchase a chlorione generator during the coming fiscal year, staff members said.
Bidding for a five-year contract for auditing services was tabled.
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