Bonham approves resolution concerning water supply
Herald Democrat
By Vicki Graves
December 24, 2005

BONHAM - The Bonham City Commission approved a resolution appointing the mayor, city manager and development services coordinator as authorized signatories for payment requests to the Office of Rural Community Affairs in a short meeting Thursday afternoon.
“ This action is in order to get our reimbursement for the ORCA grant to replace the roof on the armory-civic center,” City Manager Blaine Hinds told the Commission. “All the stuff they normally require you to do in advance, we've done subsequent to the approval and this is one (thing).”
In other business at the meeting, the Commission appointed Ronny Ford as the Bonham representative to the Fannin County Public Water Supply Agency.
It also approved a resolution concerning the long-range water supply planning of the Upper Trinity Regional Water District - a matter the Commission had tabled at its last meeting in order to talk to officials at North Texas Municipal Water District in Wylie. North Texas will build the Lower Bois d' Arc Reservoir and new water treatment plant north of Bonham.
“ They (North Texas) absolutely have no problem with it,” Hinds said. “Our effort is to be supportive of the city of Ladonia. That doesn't mean that will change our priorities as to Lower Bois d' Arc.”
The resolution states that according to the provisions of Senate Bill 1, Upper Trinity Regional Water District is required to prepare plans to assure an adequate water supply for its customers for at least 50 years. Upper Trinity has been diligent and prudent in securing an adequate water supply for present needs and for may years into the future.
Upper Trinity is implementing measures to promote water conservation and reuse and is taking steps including evaluation of alternative strategies to meet the needs of growth that is expected within its service area, including due consideration for technical, financial and environmental factors.
Upper Trinity currently is purchasing raw water from the city of Dallas and plans to increase such purchases in the future pursuant to a long-term water supply contract.
It is working with other entities within Region C to evaluate other water sources that might be beyond the capability of Upper Trinity alone to develop or acquire.
More than 20 cities and utilities within Region C rely on Upper Trinity's efforts to acquire adequate supplies of water and it has filed applications with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to secure rights for reuse of water being imported. It has contracted for capacity in an existing pipeline system.
The proposed Lake Ralph Hall is near the existing pipeline and the City Commission expressed its support for Upper Trinity's emphasis on water conservation and reuse of existing water supplies and the proposed Lake Ralph Hall in Fannin County.
The Commission urges the Region C Water Planning Group to include Lake Ralph Hall as a proposed strategy in the updated water plan now being prepared for the region.
The Commission realizes that typical water supply projects take 25-40 years for completion and that they require vision and courage and involve risk and controversy, the resolution states.
“ Accordingly, the governing body of Upper Trinity Regional Water District is to be commended for its diligent efforts on behalf of its many members and customers.”