San Angelo city council unanimously approved city staff to seek a loan for improvement measures to the Hickory Aquifer. City council members granted city staff permission to seek a low interest 30 year loan from the Texas Water Development Board. That means more water for the citizens of San Angelo.

“Currently the city can pump and treat 8-million gallons per day,” said Director of Water Utilities Allison Strube. “What this expansion will do is upgrade that to 12-milion gallons per day. What that means for the city is that we’ll be able to pump and treat our full allocation of our permits from the hickory groundwater district.”

As San angelo seeks to diversify the sources of our water beyond local surface reservoirs, and since efficiency in resource gathering and use is key, these capacity expansion measures are needed to make full use of the Hickory Aquifer.

“The city council, they awarded thre contracts for bond council, financial advisor, and engineering services for the hickory expansion,” explained Strube. “This is the first step in the process towards putting in an application with the Texas Water Develpoment Board.”

The Texas Water Development Board provides planning support, financial assistance, and more to ensure responsible development of water in Texas. That is why San Angelo must show what they plan to do and what impact it will have on the aquifer.

“The expansion will include additional wells out in the well field,” said Strube. “[As well as] increased capacity at our pump station, and additional treatment capacity at our treatment facility here in town.”

Details will be submitted to city council at their next meeting, after which the design phase will begin.