Del Rio schedules public meeting for Silverlake wastewater plant upgrades

Del Rio has set a public project overview meeting for the Silverlake Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvement Project at 2 p.m. July 23 at Del Rio City Hall, 109 West Broadway. The meeting gives residents a first look at Texas Water Development Board Project No. 73785, a city public-works job tied to wastewater service in Del Rio.

City bid postings identify the TWDB project number as the Silverlake Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvement Project, and the city posted a request for qualifications for the work on July 15. The listing says bonds are required and prevailing wages apply, signs that the job will move through a formal contracting process rather than a small repair job.

The overview meeting is likely to be one of the few public moments before design and construction decisions harden. For Del Rio households and businesses tied into the sewer system, that means the city should use the session to spell out the plant’s scope, how it will be financed, and what contractors or engineers will be expected to deliver. TWDB says it reviews projects for compliance with funding program requirements and environmental regulations before funds are released for different project phases, so the July 23 meeting also sits inside a state oversight process, not just a local one.

The timing comes as the Texas Water Development Board continues to move Del Rio water projects through its pipeline. On July 24, 2025, TWDB approved $16,150,000 for the City of Del Rio for water system improvements, and a separate board agenda item that same day described a $12,695,000 financing request from Del Rio through the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas program for planning, design and construction of a water system project, along with a waiver from the requirement to include funds to mitigate water loss. TWDB’s board agenda for July 23, 2026, shows the state agency itself was scheduled to meet at 9:30 a.m. in Austin and by Teams.

Del Rio’s recent bid postings point to a broader capital push that goes beyond Silverlake. The city also has postings for TWDB-related engineering, financial advisor, community engagement, water pipeline replacement and lead service line replacement work. A North American Development Bank project page says Del Rio’s Water Treatment Plant and Improvements to the Distribution System project is completed and lists a benefited population of 42,000, underscoring how large the city’s water and wastewater commitments have become across Val Verde County.