Bandera moves ahead on wastewater site talks, seeks up to $10 million for water upgrades

Bandera has authorized City Administrator Toni Kunz to negotiate for property intended for a future wastewater treatment facility, while seeking up to $10 million in state funding for water-system improvements.

The City Council approved a no-match grant application to the Texas Water Development Board. The proposed application includes wastewater-treatment improvements and emergency-power backups, along with a $3,500 repair at the city’s existing treatment plant.

Property negotiations and grant request

The council’s action moves the possible treatment-site project into property negotiations, but it does not establish that the facility will be built at a particular location. The property’s address, acreage, seller and negotiated price were not identified in the public account of the action.

The grant request is also a proposed funding application, not an award. The council authorized the city to seek as much as $10 million from the Texas Water Development Board, but the public action does not establish that the money has been approved or received.

Together, the potential site and water-system application could shape Bandera’s wastewater capacity and utility reliability for years. Treatment improvements address the city’s ability to handle wastewater, while emergency-power equipment is intended to support operations during power interruptions. The financing, property terms, project schedule and any future effect on utility bills remain unresolved.

Other council business

The council also set Aug. 30, 2026, as the deadline for applications from attorneys seeking to serve as the city’s new legal counsel. The eventual selection could affect how the city handles property negotiations, grant work and other municipal matters, although no final outcome of the search has been announced.

Bandera’s official meeting calendar lists a July 22, 2026, budget workshop and a July 28 regular council meeting. The calendar also records that the city’s Economic Development Corporation canceled a July 30 special meeting because it lacked a quorum.

The timing places the wastewater and water-funding decisions alongside the city’s budget and legal-planning work. The requested grant, the proposed repair and the property negotiations represent separate steps: one seeks outside funding, one addresses an identified plant repair, and one authorizes discussions over land for a possible future facility.

Bandera’s public meeting record is part of a broader 2026 municipal and county record trail. The Bandera County commissioners’ court records page lists regular and special agendas and minutes through July 23, 2026.