Grant Helps Marshall Make Progress on Water Repairs

Sabine River Authority provides $50,000 to offset costs of temporary fixes after recent water main breaks.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 9:54pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen-style illustration featuring a repeated icon of a water pipe or water meter in a grid pattern, using vibrant neon colors and heavy black outlines to transform the everyday utility object into a modern pop art piece.A pop art-inspired illustration celebrates the city's efforts to repair its aging water infrastructure with the help of an emergency grant.Marshall Today

The city of Marshall, Texas has received a $50,000 emergency grant from the Sabine River Authority to help with the costs of temporary repairs to three recent water main breaks. The breaks, which occurred in February and March, caused significant disruptions to the city's water system. The grant money will allow the city to begin more permanent repairs on the damaged lines.

Why it matters

Water infrastructure is critical for any community, and repeated main breaks can be disruptive and costly for a city's budget. This grant from the Sabine River Authority will help Marshall make progress on necessary upgrades and repairs to ensure reliable water service for residents.

The details

Marshall experienced three major water main breaks between February 10 and March 17, with ruptures near Loop 390 and Highway 80, Highway 43 and Highway 59, and on Spring Street near the city center. The Spring Street break shut down the entire water system for three days. The Sabine River Authority, which oversees water resources in the region, heard about the issues and quickly provided a $50,000 emergency grant to help the city cover the costs of temporary fixes. The grant is part of the SRA's program to assist communities with sudden infrastructure problems caused by events like storms or main breaks.

  • From February 10 to March 17, three water mains burst in Marshall.
  • On Thursday, the Sabine River Authority presented the $50,000 grant to the city.
  • In the next week or so, work will begin on the 16-inch line break under Highway 80.

The players

Sabine River Authority

The regional water management agency that oversees water resources and provides emergency grants to communities in need of infrastructure repairs.

David Montagne

The general manager of the Sabine River Authority.

Stanley Hayes

The interim city engineer of Marshall, Texas.

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What they’re saying

“This was one of our emergency grants. So, when we see a problem, it could be a tornado that hits a community in our basin, we show up as fast as we can with a check and some help.”

— David Montagne, General Manager, Sabine River Authority

“In each of them there's other additional work that we need to do at those locations to secure the lines permanently.”

— Stanley Hayes, Interim City Engineer, Marshall

What’s next

In the next week or so, work will begin on the 16-inch line break under Highway 80 that runs through a TXDOT drainage duct. The city is also waiting on special fittings to repair the 24-inch main break on Spring Street.

The takeaway

This grant from the Sabine River Authority will provide critical funding to help the city of Marshall make progress on necessary water infrastructure repairs after a series of damaging main breaks. Maintaining reliable water service is a top priority, and this assistance will allow the city to address the issues more quickly and comprehensively.