BEAUMONT, Texas — In hopes of fixing an ongoing issue, city officials are pouring $25 million into a water and sewer project.
Brown water has plagued some homeowners in Beaumont for years. Residents feel the issue is one they experience far too often and plan to speak at Tuesday's Beaumont City Council meeting.
“There is a consistent complaint throughout town, now in all parts of town, that the water is brown or silty,” Alton Watson, Beaumont resident, said.
Watson has lived in Beaumont all his life. He recently experienced his first glimpse of brown water in his home on Gladys Avenue.
“The water was brown about three months ago and it was real brown, and I made a complaint to 311, and it was resolved within a couple of days," Watson said.
City officials said they are not taking the issue lightly.
“We look at improving resiliency, looking for any points of weakness that need to be improved,” Bart Bartkowiak, director of public works, said. “And so we're constantly assessing what we need to invest."
Beaumont’s water department is planning to spend $25 million through a capital improvement program to improve the quality of water in many ways.
The money will be spread over more than 30 different projects. The projects are paid for through bonds.
“We have iron and manganese that naturally occurs within our water," Bartkowiak said. "We use a polymer that bonds the iron and manganese and the CIP is to add chlorine dioxide. That will allow us to oxidize and remove the iron and manganese."
One project will add a new pump station at Collier's Ferry Park.
“The existing pump station that pumps raw water flooded during Harvey and left the city without water for 11 days," Bartkowiak said. "So what this new pump station is going to do is give us the ability to pump water from the river even in a Harvey-type flood event."
Construction on the new pump station at Collier's Ferry has already begun. Other projects include changes made to the Orange Avenue water main and the restoration to come of the wetland in the city.
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