Liberty Hill City Council unanimously approved plans Jan. 28 to sell $25.9 million in bonds to fund construction of an Advanced Water Purification Facility—a wastewater treatment system—pilot.
The bonds will be sold to a bidder selected by the city and repaid over time using revenue from the city's wastewater system. The city is scheduled to receive the funds from the bond sale in February, according to city documents.
The background
Liberty Hill’s water needs are projected to increase by 12% per year for the next 10 years and then by 16% per year through 2050, according to Community Impact's previous reporting. The development of a full-size purification facility is expected to provide 4 million gallons of clean drinking water per day once completed.
The treatment facility is a key component of the city’s Pure Water LHTX program, which aims to provide long-term clean water for the city as it continues to grow. City documents state the facility will purify reclaimed wastewater to meet drinking water standards. The city approved a construction contract for a smaller, pilot facility in December.
What’s next
Construction of the pilot facility is currently scheduled to be completed by October. The next step is to test different water purification methods, which will take about eight months, according to a representative from Garver, an engineering firm contracted with the city.
The pilot facility is also being designed as a permanent structure. After the full Advanced Water Purification Facility is completed, the pilot facility will be used for public tours, training and future testing.
The design of the full-scale wastewater treatment facility is set to be completed by fall 2028, and it is scheduled to be operational by spring 2031. However, at a December City Council meeting, some council members expressed concern that the timeline may not be realistic.
