When Orangefield Water Supply Corporation (OFWSC) General Manager Jason Engle talks about the pressure on his community’s water system, he often starts at the beginning.
“Our water lines were originally built in 1999 and the sewer system in 2013. They weren’t designed for the number of connections or the level of growth we’re experiencing today.”
That growth is arriving faster than the system can expand. Major industrial and energy projects — including a new Chevron facility expected to bring 11,000 workers into the region — are driving unprecedented demand. OFWSC, located in Orange County near the Texas–Louisiana border, currently serves 2,252 water customers and 1,362 sewer customers. Within a few years, they expect to add roughly 1,500 more connections.
“We’re the only public water and sewer provider in the Orangefield area. We’re not an incorporated city — technically the only thing that’s truly ‘Orangefield’ is the post office — so resources are already limited.”
— Jason Engle, Orangefield Water Supply Corporation
For more than two decades, Communities Unlimited (CU) has stood beside OFWSC as that pressure has intensified — through hurricanes, loan moratoriums, rate studies, system failures, population growth, and a wastewater system unlike almost anything in Texas.
A Long Partnership Rooted in Trust
The partnership began through U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) referrals long before Engle joined the utility. OFWSC was originally connected to CU’s predecessor organization, Community Resource Group (CRG), during early wastewater development in the 2000s. From that point forward, CU became one of the system’s most consistent technical and financial partners.
Harold Hunter, a longtime CU staffer and now West Regional Area Director for the Community Infrastructure Team, guided Orangefield through early sewer planning, storm recovery, and long-range system upgrades. Tom Fulton, who recently retired and was CU East Texas Coordinator, has also been a Technical Assistance Provider (TAP) for the community. Hunter and Fulton both provided rate studies and helped with additional loans through USDA.
Today, CU Management Specialist Chad Brown carries that work forward. On the lending side, Senior Economic Development Loan Officer Chris Ranniger has helped Orangefield secure financing for multiple system needs.
“The biggest benefit is that CU understands our challenges. Harold, Chris, Chad, and Tom — they’ve all been on site. They’ve seen the system, they know how it operates, and they understand our constraints. So when we call them, we’re not just talking to a lender.”
— Jason Engle
A Unique System in a Challenging Place
Orangefield’s water production and storage capacity are significantly below what regulators say is needed for the growing population. Two deep wells — one roughly 1,100 feet, the other around 800 — currently produce well short of the 2,700 gallons per minute the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) recommends. Storage is short by about 300,000 gallons.
On top of that, Orangefield operates one of only five vacuum sewer systems in the entire state of Texas. A vacuum system uses negative air pressure instead of gravity to move wastewater, relying on sealed lines, vacuum valves, and a constantly running vacuum station. It is a good fit for flat, flood-prone areas like coastal Texas, but it requires specialized components, constant power, and equipment that cannot be sourced locally.
“Our closest peer system is about 150 miles away,” Engle said. “So we can’t easily borrow parts or equipment. Everything is specialized. Parts either come from Airvac in Rochester, Indiana, or from Flovac, whose parent company is in Australia. We have to be completely self-sufficient. We have to keep more inventory, plan for long lead times, and understand that when something fails, we’re on our own to fix it.”
A History of CU Support — Both Technical and Financial
CU has supported Orangefield through six loans, including system improvements, emergency repair financing, bridge loans, engineering and administrative support loans, and now in 2025 deep-well repair funding.
Alongside lending, Brown has provided technical assistance, including completing a Technical, Managerial, and Financial (TMF) assessment, meeting work plan requirements, and assisting with CU loan processes.
This ongoing work is part of why Orangefield leans so heavily on CU.
“Traditional funding partners usually only see the dollar signs; they don’t always understand the operation or the real problem. With CU, it’s hands-on, boots-on-the-ground support.”
— Jason Engle
The Deep-Well Emergency
That boots-on-the-ground relationship proved critical when both deep wells began to fail in 2025. OFWSC reached out urgently for assistance. After completing the initial TMF and Work Plan, Brown submitted a funding recommendation to CU’s Lending Team. A loan application was submitted on May 21 and approved on June 30. The loan closed on July 8.
The loan allowed OFWSC to begin immediate rehabilitation of both wells, replacing column piping, installing new pumps and motors, upgrading electrical and control panels, and deepening the wells.
“One of the biggest things we were able to do was increase production by upsizing equipment,” Engle said. “We replaced a 75-horsepower pump with a 100-horsepower unit and went to a higher-RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) pump. That let us raise the production on one well from about 700 gallons per minute to around 1,000–1,100. That extra 400 gallons per minute makes a big difference for us.”
Looking Ahead
OFWSC continues searching for ways to expand efficiently while reducing dependence on its costly vacuum system. Growth will demand more water production, more sewer capacity, and greater operational resiliency. Engle said Orangefield is exploring approaches that will help serve its designated area more sustainably as more homes and subdivisions come online.
After more than 20 years of storms, emergencies, rapid expansion, staffing challenges, and major system upgrades, CU remains central to Orangefield’s ability to keep drinking water flowing and wastewater systems functioning — no matter what comes next.
“The team at Communities Unlimited has been outstanding. Chad Brown, Chris Ranniger, Tom Fulton, and Harold Hunter have all been great partners.”
— Jason Engle
