TAFT, Texas — The Texas General Land Office (GLO) is lending a helping hand to the City of Taft with a grant of more than $3 million to improve water and wastewater infrastructure.
On Tuesday, the Taft City Council approved a Community Development Block Grant from the GLO totaling $3,261,400, funding City Manager Ryan Smith called “critical.”
In 2023, the Texas Water Development Board conducted a study which found Taft to have the highest percentage of water loss in the Coastal Bend. That year, the city had a collective water loss of 57%
Taft is one of several cities receiving part of the GLO’s recently approved $17.9 million in regional mitigation funds aimed at improving roads, water detention, drainage, and sewer systems. The City of Portland, for example, was awarded $1,039,746.27 for drainage improvements in Old Towne.
In a statement to KRIS 6, Smith said the grant “will support essential improvements to the city’s aging water and wastewater infrastructure,” helping to ensure “long-term reliability and public health protections for our residents.”
The grant will support two major infrastructure projects. The first involves replacing approximately 15,844 linear feet of aging asbestos concrete (AC) water supply lines.
“These lines are responsible for transporting water into the city and supplying all municipal water tanks, including both elevated and ground storage tanks,” Smith wrote. “The replacement is being pursued because the pipes have significantly aged and are prone to failure due to their 40+ year lifespan.”
The second project targets wastewater infrastructure, specifically along Davis Road. The city will replace about 3,450 linear feet of clay wastewater lines that are also more than 40 years old.
“These lines have exceeded their useful life and are in need of modernization to prevent potential system failures and improve long-term service delivery to residents,” Smith said.
He added that the city is “grateful for the support of the Texas General Land Office and looks forward to delivering this vital project to enhance public infrastructure, protect health, and improve service reliability for years to come.”
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