Burnet funds new water tank for Eagles Nest
The city of Burnet approved a construction contract to add a 100,000-gallon water tank to Eagle’s Nest to improve water flow and safety. File photo
The city of Burnet recently approved a construction contract for a new 100,000-gallon water tank to ease water availability concerns in the Eagles Nest subdivision, about 2.5 miles west of downtown.
The project –with an estimated cost of about $700,000– was approved by Burnet City Council on Tuesday, May 26, and should be completed by late 2026 or early 2027. The deal has been in the works since 2025, when the city spent $101,000 on 2 acres in the subdivision for a tank site.
The Eagles Nest subdivision has been marred by low water pressure for years according to city officials, as the current pump station includes a single 25,000-gallon tank to provide water to its residents.
Beyond residential pressure issues, Burnet Fire Chief Mark Ingram emphasized a more critical concern over the current tank’s “fire flow” inadequacies, referring to the required water and infrastructure needed to effectively fight a fire.
“If I was to take our ladder truck up (to Eagles Nest) in those sized homes, that’s what (the truck) is designed for, I could empty that tank in five minutes,” Ingram said at the meeting. “I could start sucking the water, but I’m going to do damage to everything when I do it. The waterlines– I would destroy them.”
Eagles Nest resident Dan Stewart spoke on behalf of the subdivision, echoing Chief Ingram’s sentiments as a major concern for residents.
“This tank would serve our needs from the standpoint of water pressure, as well as fire protection,” he said. “Five minutes to fight a fire is– that’s rough. To save somebody’s biggest investment in their life.”
According to City Manager David Vaughn, the root of these water worries goes back to Eagles Nest’s creation in 2004. He told the council that two tanks were originally planned for the subdivision. That never occurred.
“When Eagles Nest was originally designed, it was designed to have two (25,000-gallon) tanks,” he said. “It was meant to be done in phases so that when future phases and future developments happened, they would be added at a later date. None of the subsequent developments have occurred since 2004 when the subdivision first started.”
Vaughn recognized the weight of taking on the $700,000 project, but assured council that the city could handle the hit.
“I don’t want to represent that $700,000 is insignificant, because it’s not,” he said. “But we are in a position to handle it.”
The council-approved contract for the new tank would include any accompanying equipment and full installation, tallied around $599,441. Vaughn told council that, after all costs were tallied, the project would sit near the $700,000 mark.
Barring major delays, the selected constructors, Arguijo Corporation, provided an estimated timeline of 180 calendar days.