During the Summer of 2016, the City of Cisco experienced devastating flooding that ultimately saw its entire water plant submerged under approximately 28-feet of water for several hours. The flooding included 18-inches of rain in a 48-hour period and washed out State Highway 6 in the City of Cisco. The WTP could not be de-energized prior to the flood resulting in the loss of all electrical and mechanical components. eHT responded the same afternoon with key personnel and worked round-the-clock alongside City staff to restore temporary treatment capabilities at the WTP. This massive 72-hour effort succeeded in restoring the City’s water supply by transporting and installing a temporary treatment membrane trailer and temporary power capabilities. The temporary membrane treatment trailer was made available so quickly due to eHT’s relationships within the industry. After the immediate disaster response effort, eHT continued to assist the City in finding a permanent solution for its damaged WTP. eHT worked with multiple funding agencies to identify funding opportunities to assist the City in minimizing long-term financial impacts created due to restoring long-term treatment capabilities. The WTP improvements were designed and constructed while the original WTP and temporary mobile treatment system continued to operate, with the focus to expedite design and construction of the new WTP as much as possible to minimize the ultimate rental cost of the mobile treatment system.

Identification of funding sources was critical for both emergency response and long-term replacement or repair. eHT secured the following financing for the project:

• Interim Loan from local bank for continued emergency response and mitigation until permanent funding was obtained;
• $1,000,000 in grant from the Texas Water Development Board Urgent Need Program under the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund;
• $5,964,900 in grant from the Texas Water Development Board Disadvantaged Community Program under the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund;
• $4,565,000 Zero-Percent Interest 30-year loan from the Texas Water Development Board Drinking Water State Revolving Fund with approximately $2,312,0798 in financial cost savings due to the zero percent interest;
• $350,000 Grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture; and,
• $500,000 Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants Program.
• $1,309,226 FEMA Emergency Response Grant
• eHT helped the City pay off the existing loan for the destroyed water treatment plant and build a new water treatment plant that resulted in approximately the same debt service the utility had before the disaster.