Gordon tapped for $2.1 million state loan to upgrade aging water treatment plant

Nov. 5—GORDON — A $2.1 million low interest state loan will replace a key element at Gordon's aging water treatment plant, an engineer said Monday.

"The bulk of the project will be to replace a clarifier at the treatment plant," Derek Turner with engineering firm Jacob and Martin said, describing the clarifier as a settling basin for arriving lake water.

The plant itself, he said, is 80 to 100 years old and serves about 1,600 residents.

"We're trying to get all their facilities up to modern-day standards," Turner said.

The low-interest loan announced by the Texas Water Development Board totals $2,135,784.

"I think it will close soon," Turner said of the funding. "We'll probably be doing some of the construction during the second quarter of '25 — spring."

In announcing the loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, the water board said $530,000 is direct financing while $1.6 million is considered "principal forgiveness."

In addition to that financial help, the board estimated the city can save $281,000 during the life of the loan.

In addition to replacing the clarifier, the funds will replace about 6,000 feet of distribution pipeline to boost water pressure, the announcement said.

The system that monitors, controls and collects operations data, called SCADA, also will be replaced in the project.