Runge continues to face infrastructure challenges as city leaders worked on finding permanent, long-term solutions during the town’s January 9 city meeting.

More areas of town with old, brittle, black plastic pipe have taken to leaking, Mayor Homer Lott said. He estimated the seven leaks in those problem areas during December cost the city around $3,500.

"We’re dealing with issues that were never dealt with in the past," Lott said. "We’re using dollars now to fix issues that should’ve been taken care of six, eight years ago. PVC plastic has gone up (in cost) 30 percent."

Tackling the issue won’t be easy now that the state has mandated very tough standards on arsenic levels in small-town water. The amount of arsenic allowed in public water was lowered for cities like Runge recently, and the utility department has had financial difficulty meeting the new standard while keeping up with water leaks.

Lott said the city may get some help pending results of the town’s application for a $250,000 arsenic treatment grant. Lott had lobbied the Alamo Area Council of Governments for the funds previously that day.

The city found out on Friday that their needs had taken first place behind all other cities applying for aid. The city will match $25,000 to AACOG’s grant money.

Applying for grant funds also will help in getting the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality out of the city’s hair, Lott said.

With the arsenic issue handled, Runge leaders can assign city funds to the black pipe problem, which Lott said he considers a top priority.

"It’s coming to a point now that, economically, we’re going to have to look at replacing it," he said.