WACO, Texas — As Marlin continues to face water issues, Congressman Pete Sessions and other leaders advocate for Proposition 6, which would provide $1 billion to improve water infrastructure across the state.
- The city of Marlin is currently under a boil water notice and Declaration of Disaster.
- Congressman Pete Sessions and other leaders support Proposition 6, a $1 billion initiative to improve water infrastructure in struggling communities.
- Marlin has secured a waterSMART grant to identify and address local water system problems, with community collaboration efforts already underway.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"Marlin has been struggling with water issues for quite some time,” U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions said
The city of Marlin constantly faces water issues— 25 news contacted Waco congressman Pete Sessions about the issue.
" The bottom line is that the problem is bigger than an immediate answer,” Sessions said.
Sessions told 25 News he's been in close contact with Marlin Mayor Susan Byrd, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, and State Senator Brian Birdwell.
All are hopeful a proposition will be passed in November to deal with the water problems.
" Proposition 6 would infuse $1 billion dollars and give the state a larger hand in the responsibility and aid for communities like Marlin, Texas," Sessions said.
"It would also allow them to devise a plan that the federal government would want to be a part of."
If passed, proposition 6 would help fund water supplies and other essential items for leaking water infrastructure.
But it's not just Marlin dealing with the issue; according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas water systems leak 572,000 acre-feet of water per year.
Since 2018, there have been more than 2,200 boil water notices throughout the state.
25 News contacted a local engineering firm to speak with their water resources manager, Tom Ray.
He told 25 news about how the city of Marlin recently secured a grant that will help identify the problems.
"It's a waterSMART grant through the Bureau of Reclamation. It is for investigating, identifying, and suggesting solutions to the water problems in Marlin and Falls County,” said the water resource manager of Lockwood Andrews & Newman, Tom Ray.
Although funds from that grant likely won't be seen until May - Ray tells me community collaboration has already begun.
"We've already started with a Falls County resource group where we invite local city managers, utility directors, and others to come and talk about the issues they know of and then collaborate on how to solve them,” Ray said.
As for Sessions - he's dedicated to helping in any way he can.
" I'm very pleased to be a part of this and stay a part of this. I will ensure we are there to help people like Falls County and Marlin, Texas because they're important,” Sessions said.
The city of Marlin is still currently under a boil water notice and Declaration of Disaster.
