The water heaters at the DeWitt County Jail experienced ongoing issues throughout 2024. After six out of ten heaters became nonfunctional, Sheriff Carl Bowen presented a request to the Commissioners Court on January 13 to address the problem.
At the January 27 Commissioners Court meeting, Eric Tankersley from Brandt Companies LLC and Captain Jerry Garza presented cost estimates for the repairs. Due to unforeseen circumstances that created a significant public necessity, the Commissioners Court amended the budget for FY2025 and awarded a contract for the replacement of 11 tankless water heaters. This contract includes labor, a scale blaster, and a new water softener system for a total cost of $205,029.02.
Additionally, the court approved a preventative maintenance service contract with Brandt Companies LLC, which covers 12 visits to all 11 water heaters. This contract also includes semiannual flushing, annual flushing, and scrubbing of the water heaters for a total sum of $23,000. The combined total for these services is $228,029.02, with the project commencing on March 1st.