‘Heart of Texas’ struggles to overcome radium contamination in water
Brady is known as the “heart of Texas” because it sits at the geographic center of the state. This tiny, rural town is home to 5,400 residents. (Photo by Elizabeth Sims/News21)
BRADY, Texas – Tony Groves cannot get clean drinking water for his city.
Brady, a historic city proudly known as the “heart of Texas,” has the second-most contamination violations in the country from the radium that has seeped into its drinking water for decades, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. And this tiny, rural community is running out of options to fix the problem.
The radium is naturally occurring in the Hickory Aquifer, the city’s only drinking water source. Groves, Brady’s mayor, knows concerns of cancer, kidney damage and birth defects from the radium drive many residents to buy case after case of bottled water.
“There’s a lot of bottled water sold in Brady to different people, both for convenience of drinking the water and for concern,” Groves said. “I drink the (tap) water. It’s just a matter of personal integrity, I guess, that says ‘I can’t get you any better water than this, so I’m gonna drink the same water you’re drinking.’”
In fact, water bottles are just a way of life for many of Brady’s 5,400 residents. Children take water bottles to school every day so they do not have to drink from the fountains.
“The kids are aware,” said Angie Borrego, a first grade teacher at Brady Elementary School and lifelong Brady resident. “There will be times when the kids will leave (their water bottle) at home, and they’ll be like, ‘Oh gosh, I don’t have my water, and I’m not going to go to the water fountain,’ because they are drilled that this water is not safe.”
The “Clean Water For Texas” sign is displayed outside of Brady’s water treatment plant. Brady has the second-highest number of contaminant violations for the naturally occurring radium in its drinking water. (Photo by Elizabeth Sims/News21)
The city made progress in correcting the problem by building a system to mix its groundwater with water from the nearby Brady Lake. However, the success was short lived as a multiyear drought nearly dried up the lake, forcing the city to shut down its $20 million investment in 2015.
The radium levels spiked once again, violations poured in and notices went out with the water bills month after month. The notices became so common, some residents said they just throw them out.
“We’ve gotten a lot of notices from the city saying that the amounts of radium or the amounts of whatever – honestly, I haven’t even read them. I just know it’s bad, “ said Melissa Regeon, a Brady resident and a teacher’s aide at Brady High School.
Since the drought, the city has been planning a $22 million water system overhaul to finally bring clean water to residents. However, the state considers Brady an “economically distressed area” because its median household income is far below average. The city’s economy relies heavily on hunting at local ranches and fracking sands sales from mines surrounding the area.
“That makes us eligible for grants, so funds are very significant in paying for that project,” Groves said. “Otherwise, we would be severely financially impacted by doing this process.”
Brady set its sights on Texas’s Economically Distressed Areas Program, a $250 million fund distributing $50 million every two years to help cities such as Brady afford major infrastructure projects.
City officials hoped the grant would cover, at best, 85 percent of the water system project. However, three things stand in the way of the funds: Brady is not the only applicant city. This $50 million is the program’s final allocation. And state senate committees have rejected a bill to renew the program’s budget.
Amy Greer, a local farmer at Winters Family Beef, walks on her ranch’s property line. Greer’s family is working with city officials to prepare easements for a new water system. (Photo by Elizabeth Sims/News21)
“If we don’t get it this time, and the state doesn’t reauthorize that program, I don’t know what we’ll do,” said Amy Greer, a sixth-generation farmer at the locally operated Winters Family Beef.
Her family is collaborating with the city on easement agreements. Part of the plan includes upgrading the aging distribution pipes throughout the community if the funds for the project come through.
“I really want our state legislators to know how terrible it is that they are not renewing a program that will help small rural communities face and tackle these kind of massive health and safety problems,” Greer said. “I’m just ashamed of them.”
Texas legislators deferred the final allocation to the state’s 2019 budget, further complicating matters for the city – already under a strict timeline from the EPA to fix its radium problem. Greer worries the EPA will take over the system entirely or the city will end up with no water, but Groves stands by the city’s ability to take care of residents.
“Nobody understands their problems better than we do, so nobody can figure out a solution better than we can,” Groves said.
Groves said the city will find another way to get funding if the grant falls through, and he is confident residents will support their efforts to provide clean water, even if water rates have to go up.
“If it needs it, we’re all for it. Let’s go. Giddy up,” said Joe Evridge, a Brady resident and co-owner of D and J’s Good Ole Days Antiques and Oddities. “How are they going to pay for all that? They’ve got to go get some revenue somewhere. So there’ll be an adjustment, I’m sure. But that’s just life. Deal with it. What can you do?”
I’m not sure why they haven’t explored this option, perhaps they have, but in Wisconsin over 40 communities exceed the Clean Drinking Water Act Standards for Radionuclide levels. Installation of filtering systems such as HMO have been cost effective for decades. Thanks, for the story Elizabeth. The more we share, the more we achieve.
Raise the water rates where has all the money from paying distribution charges gone into the exactly into nothing but the people handling the money in the city of Brady. I find it funny that now we have to do something about it this new mayor is in over his head if he thinks raising water rates is the key to get the money for the project. Hopefully in two years I can leave this town for good living here for sixteen years is long enough nothing but people with double standards, and crooks that work in the city.
I won’t be able to afford water if the raise the rates. My water Bill is always over $100 a month even in the Winter Months.
I was raised in Brady but no longer live there. I recall in the past when we were there they had a similar situation and installed a filter of some sort and it improved somewhat. I also recall when my kids were small we had them tested and the tests returned showing they had toxic levels of arsenic, cadmium and some other scary chemical. We installed a water distiller and only consumed the distilled water. The kids demeanor changed greatly and all are fine now raising their own families.
What about all these years of paying distribution charge we the citizens of Brady should get that money back not be charged more we’ve been getting charge of distribution charge of water we can’t even drink so you tell me where all that money is the distribution charge is more than our bills and those pipes and those electrical wires been there ever since I was a kid we shouldn’t have to pay a distribution charge and they should not raise are water bills we’ve already paid enough distribution charge I think somebody outside of the city of Brady should come down and Run This Town Drive Down our streets all the big potholes and all the messed up telephone poles Drive down the North side of town it’s way crappier than the South Side believe me
I have lived in Brady for 29 years. It still isn’t any better. I got a glass of water out of the faucet and looked at the bottom of the glass. It looks like toilet paper swirling around. We are supposed to drink this? My husband died of cancer, his sister had colon cancer. I just wonder how many cases of cancer in the last decade has claimed lives. All due to water no one can fix but charge a huge fee for. Excuse me does this sound stupid? They need to at least make it safe. I have to wash dishes in it bathe in it. If I could afford to move I would. But there isn’t very many places to go on social security.
Yeah the water situation is bad. Our water bill is already very high. We try to keep our place looking decent but if water rates go up we will no longer be able to afford to water plants and yard. Also To Whom It May Concern mentioned the north side being crappier than the south side. I know move right. I have lived in my home 40 years now. Am very disgusted with people around me with all the trash and weeds growing everywhere. Have some pride, people. The south side people would not put up with this crap because that is where the money is. Equality is non existent.
I am agreeing with everyone on the water situation. Brady residents are stuck with non-potable water. It’s been like this for many, many years. It’s so sad because many residents have died because of this horrible water problem. Then the City of Brady has the nerve to overcharge the entire town. They charge a distribution charge plus a usage charge. This sounds really sticky to me. Anyway, I used to live there. Didn’t like it at all. For Heaven’s sakes alive, it is 28 miles from my home town of Mason. I sure do hope someone does something to help this poor old town someday soon. There might not be a town to save pretty soon. Ugh. I hope not. My parents bought a house there. My youngest sister lives there too. God bless The Heart of Texas before it dies.
We have lived in Brady for 2 yrs now. My husband has worked for a trucking company here hauling Frack sand. I admit all the stories I have heard have had me scared. I do not drink the water or cook with it, but I do have to bath in it and wash my dishes in it. When we first moved here I checked into getting an RO system that promised to remove 98% of the contamination from the water and all they wanted for it was like $2000. Way more than we could afford and so we use bottled water for everything except bathing and washing dishes. When we first moved her I even kept bottled water in the bathroom to use when I brushed my teeth. I know the city has got to do something but I can’t afford a huge increase in my water bill either. I hear what the people on the north side say and I have seen pictures of their water. At least my water isn’t brown. Come on city council there has got to be an answer to this problem that doesn’t bankrupt the city or it’s citizens.
I thank raising taxes is not smart at all finding and underground to Be is the safest and far best way to save water bill and the cleanest way take then money you all ready got and look for a river you will find it look for the green grass were nothing being watered at all there’s your river Spence the Mayer is all for raising taxes lets let him pay for the water bill then