The grass is greener

Golf Course improvements aim to attract out-of-town visitors

 

  • Hole No. Seven at the Yoakum Municipal Golf Course with Sunday bermudagrass June 20. Photo by Hans Lammeman.
    Hole No. Seven at the Yoakum Municipal Golf Course with Sunday bermudagrass June 20. Photo by Hans Lammeman.
  • Hole No. Seven prior to improvements at the Yoakum Municipal Golf Course May 02. Photo by Hans Lammeman.
    Hole No. Seven prior to improvements at the Yoakum Municipal Golf Course May 02. Photo by Hans Lammeman.

    City of Yoakum staff deemed Water Well No. Four out of service after public works crews discovered debris from the discharge line and suspected damage down the well, according to City Manager Kevin Coleman at the June 14 City Council meeting. 

     

    The water well located near Yoakum City Park began service in 1992, reported Coleman in a follow-up interview. With Well No. Four inoperative, the city faces a production loss of 700 to 750 gallons per minute, though the city still operates above TCEQ Operational standards.

     

    “(Well No. Four) is one of two wells that primarily serves that water plant on that side of town. So, it's the second line, the second of two,” said Coleman June 17. “With it down, we're operating only on that primary well. Thus far, even with increased demand with the heat, we're keeping pressure solid and supply right.”

     

    The city manager explained that a crew was expected to examine the well this week to determine the extent of the damage and understand the causation. A camera inspection could reveal the size and severity of the issue, which was likely one or more holes in the well’s casing or screens.

     

    “The bottom line is trash got in the well, and it started to eat into the pump. That's why we took it out of service,” said Coleman last Friday. “It has been delayed, but come Monday (June 20), they're sending a camera down so we can see downhole to know (the) cause. We know the effect is, we don't really know the direct cause.”

     

    Coleman said during the meeting that he was hopeful that the public works crews caught the issue early and that emergency reserve funds could cover related expenses. He used the analogy of a vehicle running on three of four wheels while the issue at Well No. Four gets addressed.

     

    “Luckily, over time Council has done a good job rolling back every year a little bit into an emergency reserve,” Coleman said. “So we've got the ability to address it financially. We just need to (understand) what the fix is.”