Jim Wells County commissioners are moving forward with a replacement water line project in Rancho Alegre, hoping to improve infrastructure and reliability for residents who have dealt with water problems for years.
The nearly $400,000 project, funded with the help of a new grant, will replace water lines along Rosario and Herrera streets, then connect those lines to Beam Station and Corina. The work will cover about 3,300 linear feet of aging infrastructure.
On Thursday, Jan. 29, the commissioners awarded the project to Tom Oaks Construction.
"Water lines were always an issue in Rancho Alegre," said George Aguilar, county commissioner for Precinct 1.
For residents like Erasmo Aguilar Jr., who has lived in the area for nearly 42 years, the improvements are welcomed.
"As long as they don't close all the roads, it's fine. But it's always a good thing to have replacement lines. Especially in our Rancho Alegre because we don't get too much work done in this area," Aguilar Jr. said.
The resident believes this project is an important first step toward solving ongoing water problems in the community.
"Most of the time the water is a little cloudy. It's not super clear. I don't think the water is great in this area," Aguilar Jr. said.
Beyond water quality issues caused by old pipes, residents said they need more fire hydrants, which will be included in the project.
Commissioner Aguilar explained that the areas being replaced have consistently experienced water leaks, low pressure and lack of fire protection.
"These lines have been in the ground for 30 plus years. So that might be releasing some solids into the houses. And maybe with new water lines - all that goes away," Aguilar said.
Work is expected to begin within the next couple of months, with the project lasting approximately four months. Commissioner Aguilar is asking neighbors to be patient during construction.
"This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy."
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today!
