The Brownsville Public Utilities Board introduced a new storage tank in the most southern area of Brownsville that will ensure there is a reliable and efficient water supply in Brownsville’s growing population.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was recently held for the Southmost Elevated Storage Tank located at East 30th Street.
The 2-million-gallon elevated storage tank replaces two older tanks: the elevated tank located on Southmost Boulevard that was demolished in 2018 and the elevated tank located on the campus of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Brownsville City Manager Helen Ramirez, AICP, said having a new water storage tank is important for the resiliency of the city.
“You never know with the weather conditions when you are going to need that, hopefully never, but having that resiliency here in this part of town is such an important part of our city and how it grows,” Ramirez said.
According to BPUB, elevated storage tanks store large amounts of water and ensure a reliable and constant water supply, especially during peak demand or emergencies. They help create pressure in the water distribution system, allowing water to flow to homes and businesses with adequate force. Elevated tanks also help regulate and optimize the operation of water treatment plants and distribution systems.
At-Large “A” City Commissioner Tino Villarreal Jr. said partnerships between the City of Brownsville and BPUB are important because they demonstrate the commitment both entities have towards Brownsville residents.
“There is so much beauty here in the Southmost community that sometimes the citizens of Brownsville don’t know about and I just encourage them to come out and check out the water tower as the excuse but to come and check out the botanical gardens and to come to the Southmost area to see the beauty of Brownsville that lives down here, especially the nature that we get to experience over here,” Villarreal said.
District 1 City Commissioner Byran L. Martinez said the new water tower was a testament that the city continues to invest in the infrastructure for its residents and continues to be prepared should an emergency occur in the city of Brownville as it pertains to water necessities.
Art Rendon, Chair of the Brownsville Public Utilities Board said, the new storage tank is vital to the Southmost residents because of the amount of water that it can store. “It’s been a long time coming. It’s got a huge capacity. We used to have two tanks now we have a single tank. We were really careful about the cost of the construction. I think the PUB administration did a really good job of managing that.”