City of Friendswood Receives $2.3 Million Grant
Federal Grant to Provide Back-up Power to Critical Infrastructure
The Texas Department of Rural Affairs (TDRA) recently announced a $2.3 million Community Development Block Grant investment in the City of Friendswood to purchase and install generators to critical infrastructure, including Friendswood’s ever important water and sewer services. The grant was made available to communities like Friendswood that were under a Presidential disaster declaration resulting from Hurricane Ike in 2008.
Specifically, this $2.3 million will be used to fund natural gas generators for Friendswood’s Fire Stations 1, 2 and 3 as well as natural gas generators for Surface Water Station #1, Water Well #2 and 33 of Friendswood’s 35 Lift Stations (the other two lift stations are already equipped with generator back-up). During emergency events where power is lost, these generators will be extremely important in continuing our water and wastewater service to the community.
While water stations and water wells carry fresh water through Friendswood, lift stations pump the city’s wastewater to water treatment plants. Should power to Friendswood’s lift stations be cut for an extended period of time, sewer back-ups occur as a result. Therefore, natural gas generators at each of these lift station locations are essential to making sure that in the event of a long-term power outage, Friendswood’s sewer systems continue to flow properly.
The Community Development Block Grant funds are provided to states through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The City of Friendswood proposed funding for back-up power as its primary concern for the health and welfare of its residents.
For more information on water and wastewater services in Friendswood, please contact the Public Works Department at 281-996-3380.