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West Little Elm could see water in 2014
By Emily Hill, ehill@starlocalnews.com
On March 20, the Little Elm Town Council approved an exchange agreement between the town and Elmwood Estates that will bring water to the west side of Little Elm by 2014.
The agreement allows for a two-million-gallon elevated water storage tank, or water tower, to be built along Farm-to-Market Road 720 on the southwest corner of Eldorado Parkway and Little Elm Parkway on surplus land the town had bought in November 2010 from the Texas Department of Transportation.
The developer of the land is working with the town to allow them part of the land, which is shaped like a triangle, to build the tower. In the agreement, the developer agreed to not build anything on its portion of the land, which is a little over an acre, until July 2014, allowing the tower to be completed with room for construction.
"So basically at the end of the day, there's no cost to us," said Jason Laumer, director of Development Services. "It's a win-win--win for the Town, win for them."
The water tower was found to be needed in the 2008 Capital Improvement Project Water and Wastewater Master Plan because of the increasing growth of the town. It needed to be placed alongside Eldorado Parkway between Preston on the Lakes and Kroger Marketplace. This will be the town's third water tower--a half-million gallon tower is located on Walker Lane and newest one on Farm-to-Market Road 423, built in 2005, is a million-gallon tower.
"We needed another water tower to meet our model," Laumer said. "It should be the last one we need."
Laumer said the developer will be able to fit pretty much whatever they want in their portion of the land once the tower is complete. He said they could possibly put in a convenience store, medical offices or even a small shopping center.
"It's a pretty big size," Laumer said. "There's plenty of room. They can put in a car wash or a Firestone or restaurant--pretty much what the market would like to see it to be."
Construction for the project should begin late this summer. Laumer expects the project to be completed in about 18 months. The tower could be similar in design to the concrete deposit tank on FM 423.
"They're the most economical to build and they're low maintenance because you don't have to paint the base," Laumer said.
Laumer said they are also looking at a possible design for a tower shaped almost like a chalice.
"We will bid out both designs and make an evaluation to use based on the cost," Laumer said.
The biggest impact to the town is the new tower will provide enough pressure to supply water to the west side of Little Elm across the Little Elm Bridge. Laumer said the pipes are already laid out underneath the lake for the water.
A turn lane will also be built by the developer, which the town agreed to work on including it in TxDOT's plans for FM 720.
"I think good communication with the developer and working with the team is important," Laumer said. "We do have requirements but we try to working with the developer."
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