Pearland will upgrade two water wells, which were previously found non-operational, within the city after City Council approved funding for the needed improvements at its Feb. 13 meeting.

The details

The two wells, named the Bailey and Magnolia wells, were found to be non-operational as part of a recent assessment done by the city.

The wells will eventually provide water to the Bailey Water Treatment Plant, which is currently undergoing upgrades worth $13 million and is 95% complete, according to city documents.

The upgrades to the wells will include installing new parts, and adding a new turbine to improve pumping efficiency, which will cost $258,825, according to city documents.


How we got here

Numerous Pearland water customers served by the wells at Magnolia and Bailey water plants complained about having brown water, which subsequent testing revealed to be caused by higher levels of iron and manganese in the groundwater, according to agenda documents. While these minerals do not affect the water’s safety, they do affect the taste and color of the water.

One more thing

City officials hope that both wells will be operational by fall 2024, according to agenda documents.