Brownwood is preparing to seek federal assistance for a major sewer infrastructure replacement after City Council approved a local match and authorized the city manager to apply for a U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration Disaster Supplemental Grant.
The application concerns the Camp Bowie Lift Station, a critical wastewater facility that serves a large portion of south Brownwood. If the grant is awarded, the city would be required to contribute 20% of the project’s total eligible cost, including construction, project management, inspection, grant administration and engineering.
The current Engineers Opinion of Probable Cost places the full project cost at $12,618,700. Based on that estimate, the required local match would be $2,523,739.86.
Replacement would serve projected needs through 2055
The Camp Bowie Lift Station project has been under consideration for several years. The existing facility was originally built in the 1940s and has received various improvements over the past eight decades, but the city says it has reached the end of its useful service life.
The proposed project would replace the existing station with a new facility designed to handle current wastewater demands as well as projected flows through 2055. The lift station is located at the city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant site.
Wastewater reaches the facility through two gravity trunk sewer mains, measuring 18 inches and 30 inches, which join at the treatment plant upstream of an existing mechanical bar screen. The lift station then pumps the wastewater to the treatment plant headworks, where it is treated to meet regulatory requirements.
Plans for the replacement include a new junction box and influent piping, a mechanical bar screen, a wet well with submersible pumps, a piping gallery, an electrical and control room, a restroom, a new force main with a flow meter and upgraded equipment.
Council also advances Cecil Holman Park fitness court
During the same meeting, the council ratified Brownwood Municipal Development District board action related to funding a fitness court at Cecil Holman Park. The approved amount would not exceed $100,000 for a standard Fitness Court or $150,000 for a Studio Fitness Court.
Brownwood has been awarded $60,000 through the 2026 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas campaign conducted through the National Fitness Campaign. A local sponsor has committed an additional $53,000.
The proposed outdoor facility would complement improvements at the Bennie Houston Recreation Center by adding indoor and outdoor recreation and wellness opportunities. The 38-foot-by-38-foot training system is organized around seven movements: core, squat, push, lunge, pull, agility and bend. It is designed for bodyweight exercises at multiple levels, with independent workouts, organized classes and a mobile app offering guided instruction and additional programming.
Depository agreement extended
The council also approved a one-year extension of the city’s current depository bid with Citizens National Bank. The extension runs through Dec. 31, 2027.