City OKs bid for water tower
By Lori Mellinger Bullard Banner News

Above is a rendering of Bullard's prospective elevated storage tank.

After two meetings, the Bullard city council accepted a bid for an elevated water storage tank.

The new overhead storage - which came in at a price of about $990,000 - will allow for a greater capacity for the city's storage.

"This is a real step for the future of Bullard," said City Manager Larry Morgan. "It's something the council has spent a great deal of time and effort on, and it will ensure citizens have a better supply of water.

Currently, the city has two storage methods for its water - a standpipe and a ground storage tank. Combined, the estimated capacity is about 130,00 gallons of water.

The new tank will store 500,000 gallons in the overhead, plus an additional ground storage of 100,000 gallons.

The tank will be located at one of the highest points in the city - behind Brook Hill - thanks to the land donations of two citizens.

And the financing has already been worked out.

In September, council issued of certificates of obligation, putting $3.2 million into city coffers.

The city retained the services of Government Capital to handle the sale of certificates and bond issuance.

The CO money has been earmarked infrastructure needs the city is desperate for, including water and sewer upgrades.

Professional and advocacy groups have identified the country 's aging water and wastewater infrastructure as a top concern.

Failure to address the condition of water and wastewater infrastructure across the country could lead to sewer overflows or water pollution.

But the City of Bullard is making sure not only are its current citizens are taken care of, but that it can welcome new subdivisions springing up all across the city's extended territorial jurisdiction.

The certificates are 20 years - with the first three as interest only and the other 17 as principal payment.

Morgan said there are a number of funding mechanisms a city can use to pay for infrastructure needs.

They range from certificates of obligation to private funding.

Bullard's current sewer treatment plan is under EPAmandate to bring up to code soon. City Engineer Brian Capps is already close to completion on plans for a package sewer plant..

"We can't just keep patching things," councilman Rodger Johnson said in an earlier interview. "That benefits no one.

"When we increase the ability to provide water and sewer and begin annexing more subdivisions, this brings in more property tax."

There are also ancillary benefits to the improvements, he said.

"By cause and effect we get betters roads, betters parks and better recreational facilities," Johnson said. "Which, of course, brings more, good, taxpaying citizens."

And if nothing's done?

"Without the improvements, it's simple," he said. "There might be some growth but not good growth."

The city just added another well to the three it has already in operation. While the new one has yet to be drilled, the others bring in a combined pumping of about 550,000 gallons a day.

Last summer, because of limited supply, the city was forced to enact measures to limit water usage.