As Magnolia prepares for growth—largely spurred by the extension of Hwy. 249 as a tollroad—the city may soon outgrow its existing wastewater treatment plant, city officials said during a council meeting Tuesday. Financing a $15 million treatment facility topped Tuesday's agenda, in addition to other infrastructure projects slated throughout the city.

1. Magnolia is looking to build a $15 million wastewater treatment facility to provide water to more people—both within and outside of city limits—city officials said. A new facility could process 2 million gallons of water each day and serve up to 20,000 people with 7,000 water connections, officials said. The city's existing facility processes up to 650,000 gallons of water each day.

"It's probably going to be the biggest project ever done by the city of Magnolia," City Administrator Paul Mendes said.

Design of the facility is complete. However, the city must have funding set aside for the project before construction of the facility can begin, meaning the city must issue certificates of obligation—a form of debt—to finance the facility, officials said.

"This is a thorny problem," the city's bond counselor Tom Sage said. "You have a significant need for the sewer capacity, and it's going to be extremely expensive to be developed."

Sage said while the city needs a greater sewer capacity to handle growth, the city assumes a risk in financing the facility in the instance that proposed development does not materialize. To alleviate that risk, Sage said the city could negotiate with developers to advance funds for the project, proportionate to the amount of wastewater connections the proposed communities require.

While the council did not move ahead with issuing certificates of obligation, council members authorized city staff to pursue negotiations with potential developers to offset the cost of a new treatment plant for the city.

Should the council approve the issuing of certificates of obligation in June—a timeline that could be delayed by negotiations—construction of the facility could start in July with the facility ready to use in late 2019, as the facility takes about 27 months to complete, city officials said.

2. McDonald's, located at 18630 FM 1488, Magnolia, will be rebuilt this summer to include a double drive-through and a new building, company representatives said. Construction is slated to begin in May and wrap up before the Texas Renaissance Festival this fall. McDonald's representatives said a second drive-through lane is needed to keep pace with customer demands, as the majority of business comes via drive-through customers.

An additional drive-through lane will employ additional employees, representatives said. However, during the renovation, existing employees will be reassigned to other store locations nearby.

3. Magnolia City Council will hold a workshop in the coming weeks to examine water and sewer rates and adjust them as needed. The workshop may also include discussion regarding the city's budget and financing the sewer plant. Council members did not set a date and time for the meeting. However, meeting information can be found on the city's website as it is confirmed.