USD/BTC = $68,335
Block 939,203

TL:DR

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Water is asking the city for more money to fund its expansion and modernization of the Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).

Austin City Council is scheduled to consider WWTP’s request during its meeting March 12. According to a memo from Austin Water Director Shay Roalson, two city council agenda items are scheduled for consideration.

The first one requests authorization to increase the construction contract amount by $600 million, for a revised total contract not to exceed $1.5 billion, the memo states.

Austin Water leaders told attendees at the Climate, Water, Environment and Parks Committee meeting Wednesday that the initial $900 million contract, approved in May 2024, was based on preliminary engineering, and the construction requires additional expenditures.

The second item seeks to increase a federal loan, called the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA), by $553 million, for a revised total of up to $1 billion. The initial loan application that council approved in July 2024 was for $446.8 million.

##About the Walnut Creek WWTP

The expansion would increase the WWTP’s current water filtering capacity from 75 million gallons per day to 100 million per day.

Austin Water leaders say this is necessary due to population growth and projected future flows of wastewater into the plant because of that growth. The expansion would also help the WWTP stay within regulations and requirements set forth by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and Texas Administrative Code.

The project includes the following components:The project includes the following components:

• A new 25 MGD treatment train that will use an upgraded treatment process (BNR) to remove
  more nutrients from effluent before it is discharged into the Colorado River
• Upgrades to the existing 75 MGD treatment trains to utilize BNR
• Conversion to ultraviolet (UV) disinfection, eliminating the use of chlorine gas and improving safety for workers and the community
• Upgrades to odor control facilities
  New peak flow treatment for high flows received at the plant during wet weather events
• New influent siphons and a new 120-inch diameter effluent pipe and outfall
• Continued rehabilitation and modernization throughout the plant
• A new flood wall around the site to protect this vital infrastructure from extreme weather

My Thoughts 💭My Thoughts 💭

I wonder if pleblab’s sewage comes to this plant. If so the city is making massive upgrades to treatment process thus better effluent for the Austin Texas waterways.