Celina officials are moving forward with an expansion of the Downtown Water Reclamation Facility that will more than triple the plant’s processing capacity, according to the city’s five-year capital improvement program.
The facility on North Florida Drive in downtown Celina processes wastewater for the city.
Work will include adding new treatment units as well as improving existing facilities, according to a presentation by city staff.
Celina City Council approved a $70.3 million construction contract with Drake General Contractors for the project at a July 14 meeting.
The details
The downtown water facility is rated to process 0.95 million gallons of wastewater per day, per the city’s five-year CIP.
Once the improvements are complete, the plant will be able to handle 3 million gallons per day, or mgd, according to a report by city staff.
New treatment units that will be added to augment several steps of the wastewater treatment process include:
- Screening
- Filtration
- Aeration
- Disinfection
The improvements will also add new facilities that help control the odor produced by the plant and reduce the impact on nearby residents and businesses, according to the presentation.
Finally, existing facilities at the site will receive improvements to their piping, drainage and electrical systems.
Zooming out
Expanding the facility is part of a larger effort to expand Celina’s wastewater treatment capacity as the city’s population expands.
Celina’s average annual daily wastewater flow is projected to increase from 4.8 mgd in 2024 to 17.4 mgd in 2034, according to a July 2025 study.
To keep pace with growing demand, Celina is also working on a $269 million joint project with the town of Prosper to expand the Doe Branch Water Reclamation Plant in Little Elm, which serves both communities.
That project will increase the Doe Branch facility’s capacity from 4 mgd to 12 mgd and is expected to finish in fall 2028, according to previous reporting.
Looking ahead
Officials began designing the downtown water facility expansion in 2021, according to city staff’s report.
Construction is scheduled to start this fall and wrap up in the second quarter of 2029.
