High demand, offline pumps prompt water restriction notice

The City of Yoakum Utility Administration released a water restriction notice last week when supply chain delays and high demand left the city’s water infrastructure system struggling to meet demand. 

City Manager Kevin Coleman explained that Yoakum relied on half of its typically operational water wells (two of four) from Wednesday afternoon, July 13, until early Friday afternoon, July 15.  

Well No. 5 went offline last Wednesday when a CO2 pretreatment product was back ordered, further restricting supply with Well No. 4 offline since mid-June due to damages. 

“It was a combination of things on Wednesday afternoon…” said Coleman of last week’s notice on July 15. “We were relying only on the two wells on the other side of town to pump back up the hill while people were watering. Then, we had two or three fairly good-sized line breaks at the same time. So, (with) all those things added together; we asked people not to irrigate and use what they need to only.”

Coleman said that demand fell after the city sent out the notice, and the system met modified demand while relying on the two remaining water wells. He said the city limited water use during the notice, noting that the golf course went without irrigation. 

“The high demand we always see this time of year has been even higher because of excessive heat,” said Coleman last Friday. “And the flip of that is: during excessive heat, we try not to run our pumps and motors as much either because they get overheated and lose production as well.”

Although Well No. 5 was functioning again last Friday after the CO2 pretreatment product delivery,  Public Works Director Michael Bennett predicted Well No. 4 would not return to serving the community for a minimum of two months at the July 12 city council meeting.

Well No. 4 near Yoakum City Park began service in 1992, said Coleman in June. With Well No. Four inoperative, the city faces a production loss of 700 to 750 gallons per minute, though the town still operates above TCEQ Operational standards without it.

Coleman explained to the council at the July 12 meeting that the cost of completed and scheduled work on Well No. 4 to that point totaled $43,900, and expenses were covered in the Water Department Budget. An engineer and contractor were scheduled to clean the well casing and screens to rid debris from the well. The well will then be re-videoed to determine the extent of the damage and necessary steps going forward.

The city manager said that projects supported by grant funds to enhance the city’s water system, including a full-end replacement of Well No. 6, are expected to go out for bid by the end of the calendar year.