West University Place’s wastewater treatment facility will undergo various upgrades and service enhancements after council members authorized funding to advance Phase 1 improvement projects.
What you need to know
According to agenda documents, funding upgrades will go to services including:
- Elevating the control building
- Increasing power generator height
- Reinforcing electrical infrastructure
- Motor control center upgrades
- Disinfection enhancements
- Lift station replacement
- Structural improvements
What they're saying
Construction on the treatment plant is expected to start in April, with an approximate completion date in April 2027, according to City Manager Dave Beach.
Beach said at the March 10 City Council meeting that the treatment facility has been around for more than 40 years. He said Phase 1 of the project tackles flood water protection and goes towards what he called a "commitment to reliable infrastructure."
“It provides 14-and-a-half feet of clearance off the ground and if that floods, we have bigger problems than worrying about the sewage treatment plant because the rest of Houston will be underwater,” Beach said.
The cost
During the March 10 City Council meeting, three contracts totaling $17.04 million in funding was approved to the following vendors that will oversee the construction, management and inspection services:
- IDS Engineering Group: $854,027 for construction engineering costs
- Persons Services Corporation: $15.95 million in construction costs
- Kimley Horn: $237,000 for engineering professional service costs
How we got here
Construction on the wastewater treatment plant was originally anticipated to begin in 2024 after the design phase was completed; however, delays occurred during the bidding process, as previously reported by Community Impact, and the project was temporarily paused.
