2022 Year in Review

The year 2022 was a very busy and eventful year for POCID. The updated District logo the Board approved at the December 2021 meeting began to appear on District websites, letterheads, and facilities. In January, the District finished the formal consolidation procedures with LaSalle WCID No. 1A adding 1,159.8 acres to the District which increased the District boundaries from approximately 2,000 acres to 3,159.8 acres. After the completion of the District’s first ever property annexation in September of 2022, the total amount of acreage in the District increased to 3,269.588 acres.

In May, the six million in bonds from the Texas Water Development Board was released and work commenced on the projects contemplated in that bond issuance. These funds will be utilized to partially fund a new water well field and advanced water treatment system including reverse osmosis filtration. Also in May, the voters approved a 40-million-dollar bond and matching refunding bond authorization to be utilized for completion of the water treatment system along with expansion of the sewer vacuum collection system and other immediate and anticipated future needs of the District. In November, the District received drill permits and production permits from the Calhoun County Groundwater Conservation District to commence work on the well field that is the anticipated future water source for the District. Also in November, bids were solicited for the long-awaited improvements involving the expansion of the district’s vacuum stations. The District anticipates construction will begin on Vacuum Station 1 expansion in January 2023 with Vacuum Station 2 to follow by March 2023. Other notable construction projects included, an additional 7,800 feet in water lines, 7,400 feet in wastewater collection lines, and related valves and fire hydrants. Rehabilitation of the elevated storage tank and the groundwater storage tank was also completed in 2022. Not only did the district’s footprint grow during the course of the year, but the number of connections continued to climb. During 2022, there were an additional 75 water connections and 73 wastewater connections. This new growth also led to an increase in sales tax revenue, which through November produced $355,672.81 in income exceeding the 2022 total revenue of $348,892.70. In 2021, the sales tax revenue produced through November was $320,756.19. Anticipated additional property tax revenue generated by growth allowed the Board of Directors to decrease the district wide tax rate from $0.519 per $100 of assessed valuation to $0.509 per $100 of assessed valuation. These increases in growth resulted in the need for additional space and upgraded technological capabilities so the District’s new office building was built—primarily funded by the funds LaSalle WCID No. 1A brought into the District after consolidation. It was completed in August of 2022 and an open house was held in September for all district customers to usher in the new space. While 2022 was extraordinarily eventful, 2023 will also be very busy and a time of great growth and change as the District moves towards more water independence with the contemplated well fields and reverse osmosis system. There are additional projects in progress for further additions and improvements to District facilities to better serve the District’s customers. The District’s employees would like to thank everyone for their continued support and cooperation as they try to increase operating efficiency and improve, along with operations, the District facilities to better serve District customers. The District employees, along with the Board of Directors, would like to wish all of you a very happy holiday season.