Pop-Off Politics: Roughly $35 Million headed towards water infrastructure

HOUSTON – Pop-Off Politics is where we keep you informed about how your tax dollars are being spent by the City of Houston.

Every Wednesday, 16 members of the Houston City Council convene to allocate millions of dollars toward projects intended to benefit Houstonians. We’re highlighting two significant items on the agenda that total $35 million.

Major Water Line Project

The first item on our radar is Agenda Item #3, which involves a recommendation from Houston Public Works’ Chief Operating Officer. Public Works seeks approval for the final contract amount of $29,886,479.01 and acceptance of work completed by Harper Brothers Construction, LLC. This project involves a 108-inch water line stretching along city easements from Aldine Westfield Road to Willis Street.

In simpler terms, this project is about enhancing our water distribution systems to ensure they comply with regulations from the Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District. The initiative is crucial for managing how groundwater is extracted and used.

All in all this project comes in at 3% under the original budget.

Wastewater Collection System Rehabilitation

The second major item is Agenda Item #4 and it’s a recommendation for the final contract amount of $5,624,835.29 for wastewater collection system rehabilitation. If approved, the contract will go to PM Construction & Rehab, LLC, doing business as IPR South Central.

This project is part of the Neighborhood Sewer Rehabilitation Program, which focuses on renewing and replacing deteriorated sewer systems across various neighborhoods in the city. The broader issue here is Houston’s aging infrastructure, which has been a concern for more than a year now. The city continues to invest tens of millions into fixing these outdated systems.

Houston City Council will vote on both of these issues come Wednesday morning.