The city of Pearland is chipping away at a $112 million capital project to build the city’s first surface water treatment facility.

Pearland City Council approved three contracts during its April 24 meeting worth a combined $7 million for preliminary design engineering services for the water plant. The contractors awarded were Freese Nichols Inc., CDM Smith Inc. and Dannenbaum Engineering Corp.

Each contractor was awarded different engineering packages, including the raw water intake system, the treatment facility itself and the distribution network. The costs also include the design and construction of an on-site working model plant for up to nine months to evaluate treatment and operational processes.

Additionally, the city approved a $1.6 million contract with Ardurra Group LLC to oversee and coordinate the three design contractors.

Preliminary design work is slated for completion by December 2018. The city anticipates a 2019 groundbreaking on the facility with a 2023 completion date.

In addition to a new plant, the city is separately working on citywide water meter removal and upgrades program, which is expected to cost $11.3 million.

The Texas Water Development Board approved Pearland for a $159.5 million loan for the surface water plant and new water metering system in November.

The new plant will provide 10 million gallons of water per day when it becomes operational in 2023 with the capacity to produce up to 20 million gallons per day with a future expansion. Surface water will be sourced from the Brazos River.

The plant is slated to go up near the intersection of CR 48 and Southfork Drive.