The City of Laredo is providing an update to avoid a boil water notice

LAREDO, Texas (KGNS) – A master plan is being developed for the city of Laredo to improve water infrastructure.

On Monday, November 4, Laredo’s mayor and city officials released a map showing which water lines need replacing and steps to take to avoid another boil water notice.

Laredo City Manager Joseph Neeb said he has determined that 30% of water pipes are old and need to be replaced.

Neeb adds that if all the lines were to be replaced, it could cost them close to $175 million.

“We will allocate funds from our internal services, we will allocate resources for this. We will apply for grants and low-interest loans through the Water Development Board or the federal government,” Neeb mentioned.

The city showed a map with all water lines identified and organized into three color categories.

The first is red, which means the lines need to be replaced due to too many line breaks. Next are yellow-orange, which means they can be replaced in a few years.

Laredo Mayor Dr. Victor Trevino said they have yet to find the exact source that caused the latest boil water notice.

“It is in the central part of the city of Laredo. The specific address cannot be identified and it is likely multiple locations, this is related to aging pipes. This is related to illegal connections and the lack of personnel controlling the valves,” Trevino noted.

To actually implement this plan, they will need to hire more people.

Currently, the City of Laredo has 55 Department of Public Utilities job openings. Neeb says he is looking for qualified people to join the Water Department.

It turned out that there were 10 to 14 engineers and inspectors employed throughout the city, while it was believed that there were nearly 25 of them.

“I don’t think it’s enough to put our application up and say, ‘Please come and work for the city of Laredo.’ HR departments and utilities are preparing to go to the University where engineering schools are located. We turn to professional associations where we can find valuable employees and recruit them to complement our system,” Neeb added.

Neeb will be hosting town hall meetings to talk to the public about water issues facing the city.

The first meeting will be Nov. 7 at the Haynes Recreation Center, 2102 Clarks Crossing Dr.

The meeting will take place from 18:00 to 20:00

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