Upgrades Coming to Odessa Water Treatment Facility

Odessa City Council is looking for the best way to upgrade the water treatment facility.

According to NewsWest 9, Odessa City Council approved the first reading of a $95 million upgrade to the water treatment facility which council members say is needed now before something goes wrong.

"I believe after looking at all the data and touring the plant and talking to all the people that work there, whether you call it critical or not, it is an accident waiting to happen, and I just believe that we need to do it sooner rather than later," said Steven Thompson Odessa City Councilman.

Thompson has been looking at what upgrades are necessary and has been gathering information for several months.

The one way that seems best is to go with a Certificate of Obligation or C.O. bond.

"The issuance of these C.O.'s for the water treatment plant rehab will be self-supported by the city's water and sewer fund. We will not be raising property taxes to pay this debt," said Cindy Muncy, Odessa Assistant City Manager of Administrative Services.

But some council members think they need to find out what the citizens of Odessa want.

"They spoke their minds, and I do hope that we do take that into consideration tonight as we move along with this because it was very powerful. For us to just sit here and kind of ignore what they said and just kind of go our own way, it just doesn’t leave a good taste in anyone’s mouth," said Mark Matta, Odessa City Councilman.

But the C.O. bond would start the project ASAP where if it went to a vote that would delay the project for at least a year, which most of city council members believe the water treatment plant does not have a year to wait.

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