Lucas approves design and advertising for 900,000‑gallon McGarity water storage tank

Council accepted the design of a 900,000‑gallon ground storage tank for the McGarity site and authorized the city manager to advertise the project for construction.

Staff said the design, prepared by Schomburg & Polk, Inc., would increase storage capacity (replacing an existing 200,000‑gallon tank and adding roughly 700,000 gallons of storage). The city pursued a grant but is far down the list; staff recommended moving forward with bidding so construction could begin this winter with a target to be online before next summer. “We have a 200,000 gallon tank, and then we're gonna replace it with this 900,” staff said during the presentation.

Council asked whether upgrades to the North Texas Municipal Water District vaults would speed refill rates; staff confirmed ongoing vault upgrades and said coordination with North Texas on intake sizing reduces the need to rebuild later. The council approved the motion to accept the design and advertise the project. Staff said the project aligns with the city’s water master plan but noted build‑out projections may change and further adjustments could be required.