Rio Grande City residents say they’re concerned the aging water system is struggling to handle the growth the city is experiencing. 

In November 2024, the city announced they’re conducting an investigation after allegedly losing $1 million due to broken water meters.

In December 2024, water service was disrupted for a few days after a pipe burst, leading to a loss of 3 million gallons of water.

The city is spending about $65,000 — with help from a grant — to have a contractor tell them where to improve.

“They're going over our whole water system, from the river where we pump to the plant where we treat, to when we take it out, when we sell,” Rio Grande City Public Utilities Director Eric Flores said.

Flores said the study is helping them find where to put valves, which will shut the water off, so crews can fix leaks.

“Rio Grande's a really old town. We have some that are not functioning properly,” Flores said.

The overhaul involves adding about 30 more valves across the city's water system. The more there are, the smaller the impacted area is, Flores said.

“Then we're able to not shut down half the city, or 30% of the city down, and we're able to isolate certain areas while we work,” Flores said.

The study is also helping the city draw more accurate maps of its water system, making it easier to find pipes and identify which ones are broken.

Flores said the study is expected to be completed in March 2025. 

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