Hudson Oaks: City readies for new wastewater line

Hudson Oaks has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, and an unseen problem with the increased population is increased sewage.

The city is proactive in preparing for population now and in the far future by installing a major waste water line from west Hudson Oaks to a new wastewater treatment plant in Willow Park. Moving the contents will take gravity and a pump station, the South Fork Lift Station, which will be built east of Center Point Road between Interstate 20 and Bankhead Highway.

Josh Kercho of Kimley-Horn Engineering Consultants, who is helping the city with analysis and plans, told the council the 5.5 miles of pipeline will run near Bankhead Highway on its way to Willow Park.

“We are about 90 percent complete,” Kercho said of the designs and preparation for the pump station. “Plans are going along well and we will soon be finished.”

City administrator Sterling Naron explained some permits, such as with the Texas Department of Transportation, are pending approval and when complete, the city will begin to accept bids for the project. The lift station and force main pump are estimated to cost $9,600,000.

New employees, old power issues

Mayor Tom Fitzpatrick welcomed new employees Elizabeth Yelverton and Lara Brown on behalf of the council. Yelverton is the new city attorney replacing attorney Robert Allibon, and Brown is the new director of operations.

Hudson Oaks City attorney Elizabeth Yelverton	Hudson Oaks Director of operations Lara Brown

Mayor Fitzpatrick also addressed electrical outages some residents experienced during the last freeze, saying the city has spoken with Oncor Electric. “We’ll continue to talk with Oncor to get significant things fixed so this doesn’t continue to happen,” the mayor said.

With the deadline now passed for filing to run for positions and offices, Fitzpatrick said the city will not have names on the May 3 ballot because council members Jennifer Liles, Sean Cannon, and Daniel Cross are running for places 2, 4 and 5 unopposed and all have agreed to serve another term.

The council also approved releasing a ten foot-wide easement on city-owned property at Hudson Oaks Dr. near Inspiration Dr. The strip was set aside for a future utilities easement but is now released to make more room for a possible Parker County Emergency Services District No. 3 fire station location.