Council hears pitch on new water agency

As has been happening in neighboring cities and agencies in Parker County over the past few months, the city received an update on an initiative to help alleviate the water issues some in the county are facing.

At the July 28 City Council meeting, Rick Shaffer, Weatherford’s director of Water Utilities; Larry Walden, Parker County Precinct 3 commissioner; and Andrew Franko, project manager for water/wastewater planning from Freese and Nichols, informed council members and attendees about the progress in creating the Parker County Public Utility Agency (PCPUA). 

Walden, who has championed the cause for the past few years, said the need is immediate. 

“I don’t take credit for many things, but I will take credit that this is my initiative,” he said. “Nobody else is working on this problem for Parker County. Nobody.” 

Without local intervention, the problem will go unsolved, he added.

Franko said Parker County drilled the most wells in the state from 2003-2025 with 15,488. Wise County was the next closest at 7,578. 

For Weatherford, more than 2,600 of those domestic wells are within two miles of city limits. The result of having so many wells is that each must be dug deeper, but the yield is decreasing. 

The PCPUA would help face the challenges of water supply, cost and funding, economic development impacts, and establish a collaborative structure. 

With neighboring cities including Aledo, Hudson Oaks, Willow Park and others, the PCPUA would advocate as one body to assist in implementing and financing water supply strategies and increased funding options, coordinate efforts and provide administrative support, and help plan for undeveloped and unincorporated areas.

Cost for joining the PCPUA varies depending on population. For Weatherford, it would be $50,000 annually, which would give the city a rounded voting share of 25 percent. 

City Manager James Hotopp stressed that while Weatherford’s water supply is currently not in jeopardy, the fact that others in the county may not have water security still affects the city and that is why he and Shaffer have been involved since the beginning. 

“Water is a very complex issue that we always try to simplify, but water supply projects are decades in the making,” Hotopp said. “Our needs are met; that is not an issue.”

Economic development is “critical” to the city and the county, Hotopp said, and if water isn’t available, it affects everything the city does.   

Franko said the goal of the initiative is to address both short-term and long-term needs and keep decisions at a local level as opposed to a public utility that would require more oversight and involve longer wait times for answers. 

Several administrative steps need to be taken in the next couple of months for the agency to form officially, and Franko and Walden hope to have a board seated and agreements signed and executed by the end of the year. 

Also at the meeting:

Weatherford K-9 officer Devin Jones was recognized for being named the American Legion Department of Texas Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for 2026. Jones was nominated by the American Legion Post 163 for the honor, which recognizes officers who go above and beyond through “exceptional service, community involvement and professional achievement.”

The council received an update on Short-Term Rental Compliance from Scott McDonald, director of Development Services. Since January, of the 24 active rentals in the city, 15 have received permits, with seven others pending inspection for approval.