Growth strains Rhome’s water & sewer systems. Fixing them is key to growth, leader says

Rhome doesn’t have a grocery store or many restaurants, but those businesses are clamoring to come to the city which is poised for the inevitable growth as it sits at the confluence of two major highways in southern Wise County.

But Rhome has serious issues with its outdated west wastewater treatment plant that often overflows (especially when it rains) and is closely monitored by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality because it isn’t in compliance. Rhome also needs to replace deteriorated sewer lines and drill more water wells to keep pace with the demand.

The three proposals to replace the Wastewater plant, drill new wells and replace deteriorating sewer lines are in a $17.5 million bond package on the May 4 ballot. The three proposals would cost 42.37 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, or $141 a month for the owner of a $400,000 home, according to the city.

Election day is Saturday. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Rhome Community Center.

What’s at stake for Rhome

During an April 17 town hall, city administrator Amanda DeGan told residents that developers, including a representative for companies including H-E-B and Taco Bell, are asking about the “predicted growth” in Rhome because of the new homes coming to the area.

The city of 1,773 sits at the intersection of U.S. 287 and Texas 114. Just outside the city limits, the 10,000-home Reunion development is under construction on the property known as Rolling V Ranch.

The plant on city’s east side is in good shape and can be expanded for growth, but the west treatment plant cannot, DeGan said.

She said developers are looking at the west side of the city.

“I cannot hook up one more toilet to that west plant,” she said.

“And so through that lens, I can’t offer that developer anything to come here,” she said. “So, they will look at Boyd. If you compare Rhome with Boyd, which is fairly similar in size and demographics, what do you see that’s different? They have businesses and restaurants and grocery and they are expanding the roadway with TxDOT that we haven’t had the advantage of. We need to know how to capitalize on that, how to pursue connections with development.”

Peter Pincoffs, who bought the 3,500-acre Rolling V Ranch in 2019 from the late Wise County energy giant Johnny Vinson, told residents at the town hall that businesses are reluctant to come to Rhome because of the city’s “dysfunction.”

Pincoffs said the Reunion development has its own waste treatment plant.

He also said in an interview that he “finalized” a contract with a grocery company that would be in the Reunion development but said he could not name the company yet.

Pincoffs said he “intentionally” has stayed away from politics but added: “I have no choice but to speak up at this point. The dysfunction in this town is very, very widely known.

“All around and businesses avoid coming here because of the very loud voices from a small number of people.”

The City Council recently censured Mayor Patricia Mitchell after investigating an employee’s complaint alleging that Mitchell behaved in a rude, abusive manner and failed to sign important documents.

Pincoffs said Reunion won’t directly benefit from the bond election, but he purchased signs urging people to vote and told residents to knock on their neighbors’ doors and ask them to support the bond.

Pincoffs said he is not “trying to single anyone out” but he has seen three city administrators since 2019.

People need to understand there are consequences, he said.

“One of them is that large companies will go somewhere else,” he said.

The west wastewater treatment plant, built in 1998, must be replaced because it is at capacity. Rhome spends thousands of dollars to haul off waste in tanker trucks when the system overflows.

DeGan estimated Rhome spent $25,000 in April for the cleanup, and those costs will keep increasing, she said.

The public works employees are often sent home to get rest when rain is in the forecast because they must be available to clean up sewage spills.

“This city and it’s potential is endless,” DeGan told the residents at the town hall. “You are literally in the nexus of tens of thousands of cars that come through every day, and we’re not capturing nearly everything that we should be capturing.”

She continues to get calls from developers.

“They’re just looking for some progress,” she said.

What’s on the ballot

The ballot includes the three bond propositions, a tax rollback, mayor and city council races and Northwest school board places.

The tax rate increase depends on which propositions pass.

Proposition A: $3 million to drill two or three wells to address demand. Cost is approximately $750,000 per well. Storage tanks must also be repaired.

Proposition B: $11 million to replace the west wastewater plant, built in 1998. The plant is at capacity and can’t expand to accommodate new homes and businesses in that portion of the city. The TCEQ is monitoring the treatment plant. When there are overflows, the city must bring in tanker trucks to haul the waste to landfills.

Proposition C: $3.5 million to replace clay sewer lines and manholes.