GAINESVILLE, Texas — The Gainesville City Council took up a slate of infrastructure measures at its June 16 meeting that, taken together, reflect the demands of a growing city — from securing the water supply to supporting industrial development.
Here are three of the infrastructure items on the council's agenda, according to the meeting packet.
A grant to replace the Moss Lake pump station
The council authorized the city to apply for a $21 million Water System Improvement Grant from the Texas Water Development Board to replace the 8.6 million-gallon-per-day raw-water pump station at Moss Lake, the city's primary water source.
The grant program, created by House Bill 500 in the 2025 legislative session and funded with $1.038 billion statewide, requires no local matching funds, according to the council packet. Applications are due to the state by July 30.
The pump station moves raw water from Moss Lake to the city's treatment plant. Reliable water capacity is a prerequisite for the housing and industrial growth Gainesville has been pursuing, making the aging station's replacement a significant piece of the city's long-term planning. No award has been made; the council's action authorizes the application.
Utility work at the GAF plant
The council also authorized two easement releases and a new permanent utility easement to relocate water and sewer lines at the GAF manufacturing facility, ahead of an anticipated construction contract at the site.
According to the packet, the exchange of easements is part of the utility-relocation project and will come at no cost to the city. GAF, which makes roofing products, has operated its Gainesville plant since 2006 and is among the city's larger industrial employers.
Rail financing at Camp Howze
The council ratified a Gainesville Economic Development Corporation performance agreement that provides a $1 million loan — at 3.25% interest, repayable from 2026 through 2035 — to Camp Howze Development Partners to fund rail-service components and related infrastructure at the Camp Howze Industrial Rail Park.
The roughly 480-acre park, a BNSF-certified site along Interstate 35, is being developed for heavy industry and is planned to include intermodal rail capacity. Its combination of interstate and mainline rail access is the feature the city and the GEDC have marketed to prospective manufacturers.
What's next
The Texas Water Development Board will review water-grant applications after the July 30 deadline. Council agendas and meeting materials are posted through the city's online agenda center for residents who want to follow the projects.