Tenants of the Devine Trailer Park will no longer be billed directly by the City for utility usage after the Devine City Council voted to vacate and abandon the City’s 48 water meters inside the park.
The decision was made during the Council meeting last Tuesday, June 25, when Mayor Bill Herring explained that a number of the meters, which are being replaced with new versions installed by HydroPro Solutions, are located underneath trailers.
“HydroPro is not going to go in there, and we’re sure not going to have our people go underneath trailers to fool with this,” Herring said.
City Engineer Raul Garcia explained that three lines inside the park connect to the City’s water line along Transportation Dr. Because the middle line only serves five trailers, Garcia recommended tying it to one of the outer lines and installing two six-inch master meters in the park to register water usage.
Garcia estimated that the meters will cost $6,500 each.
City Attorney Tom Cate pointed out that the City does not own the lines inside the park.
“It’s been a nightmare for Public Works,” Interim City Administrator Dora Rodriguez said.
District 4 Councilwoman Jennifer Schott asked how the park’s owner will distinguish how much water each trailer uses.
“He’s either going to have to put in his own meter, or they’re going to have to just charge a flat rate to all the tenants,” Cate said.
Rodriguez added that the park has previously had a master meter.
A motion by District 1 Councilman David Valdez and District 3 Councilman David Espinosa to vacate and abandon the individual water meters inside Devine Trailer Park and replace them with two master meters passed unanimously, with District 2 Councilman Steve Lopez, District 5 Councilman Cory Thompson, and Schott all voting in favor.
By Marly Davis
Staff Writer
