LCRA awards $25,000 grant to Fredericksburg Volunteer Fire Department
New rainwater collection system will help conserve city’s potable water by using rainwater to help fight fires, meet emergency needs
OCT. 30, 2024
FREDERICKSBURG, Texas – The City of Fredericksburg Volunteer Fire Department soon will begin constructing a rainwater collection system to provide water for fighting fires and other essential uses, thanks in part to a $25,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority.
The LCRA Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $10,000 in matching funds from the VFD, will fund the community’s first rainwater collection site, which can be used by the city’s public works department as well as the fire department.
Firefighter Brandon Vollmar said he hopes this project will be an example for other organizations to start similar rainwater collection programs.
“This will allow us to fill our trucks with non-potable water and also serve as a reserve for other emergency situations,” Vollmar said. “For instance, if we lose power across the whole town and well systems aren’t working, we could make the water available.”
Vollmar said the rainwater collection system will be located at the city’s consolidated warehouse and will be available for use by the public works department in emergency situations.
“Without this grant, we would have to continue using the resources we have, which is filling our trucks from a fire hydrant, pulling from the potable water system in town,” he said. “It’s a crucial time for us to start this project, especially during the drought we’ve had this year. It will benefit the entire city.”
The community grant is one of 37 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund eligible capital improvement projects in
LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves. The City of Fredericksburg is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.
Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in January. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.
About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations.
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