What happened
Town Council members authorized a $132,000 contract with Freese and Nichols to develop a water master plan during a Sept. 3 meeting. Officials anticipate the project will kick off at the end of September and will last about nine months before the consultants return to the town with a final report.
The master plan will include a current evaluation of Westlake’s water system and a 10-year capital improvement plan with a prioritized project list, according to a town staff report.
The $132,000 cost will be provided from the fiscal year 2023-24 public works budget, according to the staff report.
Why it matters
With the expected population growth, the town staff report states it's imperative to evaluate the town’s water system and plan for future infrastructure needs. The plan is considered a first step toward implementing impact fees on developers so they can participate in future infrastructure improvements, according to the staff report.
Westlake is projected to reach a population of about 7,000 by 2040 while its daytime population is expected to reach more than 40,000 in the same year, according to the town’s website. The city's population was estimated at over 1,900 in 2023.
About the project
The plan aims to give Westlake a roadmap for the future, said Andrew Franko, water/wastewater master planning engineer for Freese and Nichols.
“We’re trying to identify what we have now, what our deficiencies are,” he said. “And then, where do we want to grow and build?”
Population and demand projections will be used to estimate future water demand, Franko said. Once future water demand has been determined, officials will assess Westlake’s current water infrastructure.
Westlake’s existing distribution system includes a pump station and a one-million-gallon water tower located in Keller. The town has about 61 miles of water distribution lines ranging in diameter from 2 inches to 30 inches.
Development of the plan will follow five steps:
- Project kickoff and data collection
- Water model build and calibration
- Develop land use assumptions and water/wastewater load projections
- Conduct water system analysis
- Water system recommendations and master plan report
