Runge city crew workers are keeping very busy with water leaks in town and council members are hoping to be able to do something about the problem soon, according to discussion at the August 14 city council meeting.

In the last few weeks, crews have had to work on 18 different leaks, Mayor Homer Lott, Jr. said at the meeting. Every one of the leaks has been attributed to the infamous "black pipe" — shoddy material installed more than a decade ago that cracks under the slightest pressure.

"We keep going back, repairing and repairing," Councilman Tony Casillas said, expressing his frustration with the problem.

Lott agreed and said something needed to be done to replace the pipe soon, but no official decision was made on the problem.

Casillas also had some advice for the city when it comes to patching potholes in town. The way they’re currently being patched, he said, they’ll wash out the next time it rains heavily.

He said city crews need to sweep out the holes before patching them and that they need to fill the holes with a glue-like substance before adding base. Lott said he’d pass along the advice.

Council members also discussed grant opportunities with consultant Judy Langford.

She suggested a small Texas Parks and Wildlife Department grant with a one-to-one match up to $50,000. The city can apply for less, she said, and will have to match the grant dollar for dollar with donated land, time, or improvements.

Council members were interested in grants to help improve infrastructure.

"The way it stands right now, these roads are getting worse. If we can fix them right now, it won’t be as much money in the future," Casillas said.

Lott and Councilwoman Irma Ortiz agreed, but Langford had some bad news for them: There just aren’t any grants out there right now that give cities money for streets.

The stray dog population in town also was a concern at the meeting. Lott said it has been getting worse lately and that dogs are again becoming a danger to citizens.

Casillas said a lot of the dogs are just getting left behind.

"People are moving out of their houses and leaving their pets," he said.

Lott said the city has several new dog traps and will work with the county animal control officer to get the problem under control.