Department of Public Works

Water/Wastewater Department

Welcome to the Public Works Section of the City of Converse Home Page.  The Water/wastewater Department is responsible for maintaining uninterrupted clean, safe drinking water and collection of wastewater.  Our goal is to provide our Converse customers with responsive, courteous and professional services. To report any complaints, concerns, or just to check on upcoming projects, call us at the following numbers: Water/wastewater 658-3453 during our regular office hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday.   Or you can contact the Water/Wastewater Department via e-mail at: cpublicworks@satx.rr.com for the office. Public Works Utility Manager, Lupe Perez at water-manager@satx.rr.com for Jonathan Smith, Water/Wastewater Foreman at water-foreman@satx.rr.com The Water/Wastewater consists of 18 employees that work hard to ensure the quality of our drinking water.  Public drinking water is provided from four deep wells located within the city. Last year we pumped over 463 million gallons to meet our customer needs. Our department has consistently met or exceeded the highest standards set by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and we are very proud of our State designated "Superior" water system. The city adds fluoride to the water. This and chlorine disinfectant are the only two additives to the naturally pure aquifer water produced by the Edwards Aquifer and pumped throughout the city. To start, stop, or transfer water service, go to City Hall at 403 S. Seguin Rd. or call 658-1965 between the hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Weekends and holiday emergencies can be reported to Converse Dispatch 210-658-2322 The city contracts with the San Antonio River Authority to treat wastewater. The department has repair crews that provide around the clock response to problems with water or wastewater lines maintained by the city. Major projects this summer include upgrading of lines along South Seguin Rd., extending the water main along FM 1604, and upgrading the sewer lines in the Lake Aire Subdivision.  So far this year beginning January, 2006 up to December 31, 2006 the Water Wastewater Department has repaired a total of 140 water main breaks and service leaks.  Sometimes this involves digging up the main and placing a large clamp over the break, other times it requires taking out a 13’ to 20’ section(s) of old pipe and replacing it with new PVC pipe.  Our department has also dug up and repaired approximately 15 collapsed clay sewer mains and replaced with PVC.  So far this year we have replaced approximately 400’ of sewer main and installed new connections for customers affected by the collapsed mains.  At all times we do our best to restore services as soon as possible.  The following are photographs of main breaks to give everyone an example of the complexities involved in a main break.  The first picture is a 6” water main with water spraying out of the crack, and the second picture is an 8” water main that has shifted due to the drought we are currently in.

2007 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report

Stormwater Operations

Department of Public Works

The Street Department consists of the streets, parks, and grounds departments and maintains the city streets, parks, right of ways and brush chipping. The City of Converse has over 160 lane miles of streets that are maintained by city staff. The Street Sweeper usually comes out on a monthly basis, and during peak times, up to twice monthly. The Grounds Department has recently changed from weekly brush chipping to once a month brush chipping. You need to call City Hall at 658-1965 to be placed on the list in order for the brush to be collected, chipped and removed. There is a pile of mulch available to residents of Converse free of charge, contact City Hall for the nearest location. The Grounds Department is also responsible for maintaining the Right-of-Ways in Converse. They try to keep them maintained on a monthly schedule. The Parks Department is responsible for maintaining our two city parks and the municipal pool. In addition to the street maintenance described above city street crews work hard to repair sidewalks that are buckled, or sinking, or otherwise causing a tripping hazard. Storm water drainage ditch maintenance, all traffic control signs, asphalt cut and replace due to all water leaks, building maintenance, parking lot maintenance at all city owned buildings, street stripping, vehicle maintenance and equipment repair. To report any complaints, concerns, or just to check on upcoming projects for the Street, Grounds or Parks Departments, call us at the following numbers: 659-9513 during our regular office hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Or you can contact the Director of Facilities, Karl Hoppes at street-director@satx.rr.com , or the Street Foreman Ruben Cuellar at street-foreman@satx.rr.com

STREET MAINTENANCE ANNUAL PROGRAM

Street Maintenance By Year

Street Maintenance Annual Plan Map

We currently try to Chip Seal 1 to 2 subdivisions per year as well as cut and patch failed areas. Sometimes the distress of the asphalt is not so bad that it needs to be totally replaced. When the asphalt is in good enough condition overlays are a good idea but high cost. Preventive maintenance is the best method by far and the most cost effective to do.

What is preventative maintenance?

Maintaining streets so that they never get to the point of major repair. This is no easy task, with the many miles of streets that are added each year. The old school of thought was to react to street failures, and send crews out to repair them, as they occur. The new school of thought is to seal coat as many streets as possible each year to prevent the need of costly overlays and rebuild. Anyway, why would you want to rebuild a street when you already have one? Maintaining what you have makes more sense in the long run, and saves money and allows for more streets to be repaired yearly.

What are the different types of preventative maintenance that can be done?

• 1)Crack Sealing
• 2) Chip Sealing)
• 3) Slurry Sealing
• 4) Micro Surfacing
• 5) Mill and Overlay
• 6) Rehabilitation.

Crack sealing - which streets are crack sealed? All streets, especially the ones that are planned for chip sealing, other surface treatments, all newer streets, to prevent storm water from entering the base layers of the streets causing pot holes.

Chip sealing - which streets are chip sealed? All streets that are not past this type of repair are scheduled for chip sealing on 7 to 10 year life cycles to avoid the higher cost of an overlay.

Slurry sealing – which streets are slurry sealed? Currently none, because of the long time for the street to cure for traffic up to 6 hours or more, also this work must be contracted out.

Micro surfacing – which streets are micro surfaced? Currently none, because of the long cure time 6 to 8 hours before traffic can enter back onto the street, and high cost specialized equipment is needed to perform this work and must be contracted out.

Mill and overlay – which streets are mill and overlay? Currently, only high traffic streets, and a selected few residential streets, that are more that 75% in rough condition, and show signs of bad alligator cracking, with chunks of asphalt coming up this work must be contracted out.

Rehabilitation, which streets are rehabilitated? Currently there are no streets that are being planned for this type of repair. This method must be contracted public works does not have the manpower and equipment for rehabilitation.

Additionally, all new subdivisions receive street inspections from the ground up to ensure they meet city standards and special projects as may be assigned.

Calls for service are put on a list of many tasks, much like going to the doctor's office. Of course, emergencies always come first.