Heath speeds up fire flow upgrades on Moraine Way and Twin View Road
Survey crews are back on Moraine Way, Twin View Road and Halford Drive as Heath pushes fire-flow fixes from a 10-year plan into a 5-year buildout.
Weak fire-flow protection in parts of Heath is moving to the front of the line this month, with survey work underway along Moraine Way, Twin View Road and Halford Drive as the city pushes to bring older service areas up to modern fire standards.
The Fire Flow Capital Improvement Plan is meant to ensure hydrants and water lines can deliver at least 1,500 gallons per minute when firefighters need it. Heath said the work applies to service areas the city bought that did not have adequate fire-flow protection at the time of purchase, a shortfall that can affect how quickly crews can attack a structure fire and how confidently builders and homebuyers view nearby development.
The city accelerated the plan in 2024 from a 10-year schedule to a five-year completion timeline without a tax impact to residents. Heath also set the recommended budget for the 11-project program at $11.5 million, making fire flow one of the city’s major infrastructure commitments rather than a small utility repair effort.
That investment is already visible in several neighborhoods. Upgrades have been completed in Antigua Bay and Cove Ridge, and Rabbit Ridge was connected to the City of Heath system with new water lines to finish its transition from the RCH Water Supply Corporation system. City budget materials said the plan would begin with Darr Estates, the oldest of the affected areas and one that has long illustrated why the city is treating fire flow as a public-safety issue.
Darr Estates was platted in 1967 and served for many years by RCH Water Supply Corporation. City staff told council that fire-flow expectations have risen sharply over time, from 750 gallons per minute for many years to 1,000 to 1,500 gallons per minute in the last decade for residential subdivisions, depending on house size. A late-2024 bid notice for Darr Estates called for about 2,800 linear feet of new 12-inch water line and 4,500 linear feet of new 8-inch water line along Darr Road, Sorita Circle, Rosemary Drive and Meadowlake Drive.
The city’s phased schedule shows where the benefits should land next. Darr Estates is listed as year one, Candlelite Park as year two, Twin View as year three, and Dwyer Court and Serenity Lane as year five. Texas law requires municipalities and utilities to maintain minimum hydrant flow and pressure standards based on local conditions, and NFPA guidance underscores the point by tying hydrant use to the ability to deliver at least 500 gallons per minute at 20 psi.
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