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Nov 15, 202315 min read

Wastewater Treatment Plant

Updated: Sep 16


Summary: The new Wastewater Treatment Plant started construction March 2024... after hiring a second contractor and assuming an additional $4M in debt; hiring, firing and suing the first WWTP construction contractor; reducing the WWPT design from a 1M gallon capacity plant to 750K gallons; assuming a $14M debt; increasing residential and commercial wastewater fees; approving the final location and plat for the new WWPT; in addition to several years struggling to find the correct location.

Latest Update: 16 September 2024; republished Tuesday, 15 November, 2023; Saturday, 18 April, 2023

Select #Tags for additional articles: #WastewaterTreatmentPlant





 

Wastewater Treatment Plant

Index: Note, Current Update, History, including Willow Park Civics Journal, Willow Park Civics Research


Note: The Willow Park Wastewater Treatment Project consists of four projects:

the new plant (WWTP), the effluent lines to the Squaw Creek Club, an extension of wastewater lines under I20, and wastewater lines along Bankhead South. All are covered at Willow Park Civics > City > City Services > Wastewater


Current Update:

• Update on Wastewater Treatment Plant, August 2024, Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 29 August 2024 (in .pdf and photos).


"What are they building behind Olympus Willow Park apartments? Kinda behind the senior living, to the North." As the construction crane grows the new Willow Park Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWPT) -- just where described -- more and more questions are growing with it. During the 27 August 2024 Council Meeting, the City presented an update on the WWTP.


History

Willow Park is required by law to maintain wasterwater services based on its wastewater service population and service connections. "Willow Park’s wastewater system services a population of 1,941 with 482 connections. Willow Park has exceeded 80 percent of the city’s wastewater treatment plant capacity. That threshold triggers a state requirement to initiate engineering and financial planning for expansion of the system." [14 November 2023 Council Meeting]

Willow Park had its first look at the new Wastewater Treatment plant, during the 18 April 2023 Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting. (Agenda Item 4. Final Plat for Lot 1, Block 1, Willow Park Water Reclamation Area, being 8.610 acres, Wesley Franklin Survey, Abstract No. 468, in the City of Willow Park, Parker County, Texas.)


Willow Park is required by law to maintain wastewater services based on its wastewater service population and service connections. "Willow Park’s wastewater system services a population of 1,941 with 482 connections. Willow Park has exceeded 80 percent of the city’s wastewater treatment plant capacity. That threshold triggers a state requirement to initiate engineering and financial planning for expansion of the system." [source VBX]


After almost a decade of painful attempts to find a location for the new Willow Park Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), in August 2021 the City of Willow Park announced "that as of Thursday, August 19, the land exchange deal with Willow Park Baptist Church has officially been completed.The land exchange will allow the city to construct a new, larger wastewater treatment plant just a few hundred yards from the current site. We would like to thank the Willow Park Baptist Church leadership and the city leadership for working together on this solution that allows the city to secure our long-term future wastewater needs." [source Willow Park]


The new location "just a few hundred yards from the current site" is at 300 Crown Pointe Blvd Willow Park, TX 76087 and will be a "new plant and office building for the city water treatment plant... [with a] square footage: 3,436" Source TDLR The public street J. D. Towles Drive will extend northeast across the WWTP lot. Construction time is expected to be 365 days, which results in an anticipated completion date in mid-July 2024. [source 21Feb23P&Z]


"The City of Willow Park (City) is proposing to use $14,130,000 in financing from the CWSRF Program [Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF)] for the Wastewater Treatment Improvement Project to construct a new 0.95 million-gallons-per day (MGD) wastewater treatment plant, including associated collection and discharge pipelines, that is capable of meeting growth projections and discharge limits for an impaired stream segment. On April 22, 2021, the TWDB committed $14,130,000 for the proposed project. The TWDB [Texas Water Development Board] and the City closed the financing on June 23, 2021". [source Public Notice, posted in The Community News, 03 February 2023, posted Willow Park Civics]


The City could save approximately $2,500,000 over the life of the loan by using the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. [source TWN]


This $14.31M in debt will be paid for by an impact fee on residential and commercial user bills, "The total estimated cost of the project is $14.31 million. The estimated monthly bill for a typical resident is currently $50.90. A user rate increase of $3.00/ month [5.9%] will be required to finance this project." [12 April 2022 Council Meeting Agenda Item 1]


Journal

Full and detailed journal at Willow Park Civics > City > City Services > Wastewater


2024

Michael Flores, of the Willow Park Public Works Dept, is one of a kind. Well, one of 63 in the State of Texas. There are only 63 public works city employees with an A Water License and an A Wastewater License. And the City of Willow Park is the only city with two A/A Licensees. Details in linked blog.


• Update on Wastewater Treatment Plant, August 2024, Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 29 August 2024 (in .pdf and photos).


"What are they building behind Olympus Willow Park apartments? Kinda behind the senior living, to the North." As the construction crane grows the new Willow Park Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWPT) -- just where described -- more and more questions are growing with it. During the 27 August 2024 Council Meeting, the City presented an update on the WWTP.


• 27 August 2024 Council Meeting Review by The Community News, 30 August 2024, Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 30 August 2024

Assistant Public Works Director Chase McBride updated the council and those in attendance on the progress of the new wastewater treatment plant. He said the main plant is about 80 percent complete, and everything is still on target for an October 2025 opening.

“Everything has been running smoothly,” McBride said. “The biggest thing we’ve run into is weather, but that’s the case with any outdoor project.

“This is a great contractor (Gracon Construction). They had a lot of hurdles to jump, but they’re great.”


• Update on Wastewater Treatment Plant, August 2024, Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 29 August 2024

"What are they building behind Olympus Willow Park apartments? Kinda behind the senior living, to the North." As the construction crane grows the new Willow Park Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWPT) -- just where described -- more and more questions are growing with it. During the 27 August 2024 Council Meeting, the City presented an update on the WWTP. Details in linked blog.Details in linked blog.


• 27 August 2024 Council Meeting, Agenda Items 4 and 5

4. Discussion/Action: to adopt an ordinance adopting a comprehensive fee and rate schedule for the following Enterprise Fund Utility Rates/Services/Charges for Fiscal Year 2024-25, including water impact fees, water tap fees, wastewater impact fees, wastewater tap fees, drainage impact fees, utility deposits/fees, water base rates, water volumetric charges, wastewater rates, solid waste rates, additional utility services charges, and water meter costs; amending various city ordinances; and containing a severability clause and an effective date. #WastewaterTreatmentPlant 

5. Discussion only: Update on the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

See Update on Wastewater Treatment Plant, August 2024, Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 29 August 2024 for presentation


• 13 August 2024 Council Meeting, Agenda Item 6. POSTPONED

Discussion/Action: to consider all matters incident and related to the issuance and sale of “City of Willow Park, Texas, Combination Tax and Revenue Certificates of Obligation, Series 2024A” including the adoption of an ordinance authorizing the issuance of such certificates in the amount not to exceed $5,135,000 to finance the costs of paying contractual obligations to be incurred for (i) constructing, acquiring, purchasing, renovating, enlarging, equipping, and improving water and wastewater system properties or facilities, including the acquisition of land and rights-of-way therefor, and (ii) professional services rendered in connection with such projects and the financing thereof.


• 23 July 2024 Council Meeting, Agenda Item. 6. Quarterly Department Reports: Public Works [in .pdf]


• New Wastewater Treatment Plant. Progress continues to be made. The basin has been dug to the correct depth and walls for each individual basin are in the process of being formed and concrete poured. Attached are pictures taken by drone on July 11, 2024.

• Minutes: • Derek Turner, City Engineer gave an update on the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Concrete has been poured for concrete basins. The utilities are being laid to bring water and sewer to the site. He stated the project is moving along well.


Willow Park has agreed to provide wastewater treatment service to the City of Hudson Oaks. In return, Hudson Oaks has agreed to pay 20% of the  new Willow Park Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWPT) construction and usage.  Details in linked blog.



• 25 June 2024 Council Meeting Agenda Item 2. Discussion/Action: to adopt an ordinance amending Ordinance 879-23, the Original Budget Ordinance for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2023, and ending September 30, 2024. #FortWorthWater #WastewaterTreatmentPlant #Finance

• Background: ...Water purchases are increased, however the transfer from water to wastewater is reduced by $200K as Wastewater User Fees are tracking to be more robust than expected. Engineering costs are increased due to some unbudgeted costs but these may be reimbursed at a future date.

• Council Meeting Review, The Community News, 28 June 2024


• 11 June 2024 Council Meeting, 9. Discussion/Action: to consider and approve acceptance of the closeout of the Wastewater Effluent Line contract – TWDB CWSRF No. 73890 CID 01


• 28 May 2024 Council Meeting, Agenda Item 3. Discussion/Action: to adopt an ordinance amending Ordinance 879-23, the Original Budget Ordinance for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2023, and ending September 30, 2024.

• Background: At the previous Council meeting [14 May 2024 Council Meeting], Jake Weber, CPA presented the council with 2Q Financials and informed Council of Budget Amendments for your consideration. Those Budget amendments can be found in Exhibit A of the Ordinance. Notably, the M/O Levy and Sales Tax revenues are reduced, and the M/O Transfer and Council Approved Expenditures are reduced as well. Furthermore, Engineering expenses were increased due to significant development projects that were unforeseen at the time of budget adoption. These expenses may be reimbursed at a later date.

Water distribution and production expenses are increased, however the transfer from water to wastewater is reduced by $200K as Wastewater User Fees are tracking to be more robust than expected.


• 14 May 2024 Council Meeting, Agenda Item 7. Discussion/Action: to adopt an ordinance reorganizing, renumbering, restating and amending Chapter 13 “Utilities” of the Willow Park Code of Ordinances, including amending the City's ordinance and regulations regarding On-Site Sewage Facilities ("OSSF").


• New Wastewater Treatment Plant: Work began on the new Wastewater Treatment Plant on March 18th. Gracon crews cleared off the site and estimated the construction entrance into the property. Currently the crew is working on the excavation for the basins. 23 April 2024 Council Meeting; Q1 Public Utility Report in .pdf



• 13 February 2024 Council Meeting, Informational • Minutes: City Manager Grimes stated the wastewater treatment plant contract has been signed and tentatively scheduling a preconstruction meeting March 1st.


• 23 January 2024 Council Meeting, 4. Discussion/Action: to authorize the city to extend sewer services to Broadway Boulevard. 

• Minutes: To postpone the item to the February 13th city council meeting.

• Background: About September of 2023, Chad and Randall Sears approach Staff requesting water and sewer service to their industrial development located north of E. Bankhead Hwy


Agenda Item 3. Discussion/Action: to consider all matter incident and related to the issuance and sale of "City of Willow Park, Texas, Combination Tax and Revenue Certificates of Obligation, Series 2024" including the adoption of an ordinance authorizing the issuance of such certificates in the amount not to exceed $4,000,000 to finance costs of paying contractual obligations to be incurred for (i) constructing, acquiring, purchasing, renovating, enlarging, equipping, and improving wastewater system properties or facilities, including the acquisition of land and rights-of-way therefor, and (ii) professional services rendered in connection with such projects and the financing thereof.



2023

• WPC comment in 15 November 2023 update to this blog: Willow Park has now accepted the bid of a second building contractor for the new, reduced, WasteWater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and is proposing an additional $4M in debt, after...

• hiring, firing, and suing the first WWTP construction contractor,

• reducing the WWTP design from a 1 million gallon capacity plant to a 750K gallon capacity plant,

• already assuming a original $14M debt,

• increasing residential and commercial wastewater fees,

• approving the final location and plat for the new WWTP,

• in addition to several years struggling to find the correct location.


• 14 November Council Meeting Review, The Community News, 15 November 2023

New wastewater plant bid accepted Certificates of obligation to help with payment

After rejecting original bids and seeking more competitive proposals, the Willow Park City Council, at its Tuesday, Nov. 14 meeting, voted to award a new bid for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant to Gracon Construction, Inc. out of Mesquite.

The amount approved was $14,547,435, which includes an additive alternate bid of $940,780.

The additive alternate bid includes the SPECO Screen and grit removal system, as well as a road to the plant. The SPECO is a high-quality screen that conveys, screens, and de-waters the wastewater debris in municipal and industrial facilities.

An additive alternate bid is an amount to be added to or deducted from the base bid if there are some changes or adjustments not connected to the original bid.

The plant will be able to generate up to 750,000 gallons of water daily, based on current and projected future water usage because of growth expectations. That capacity was reduced from the 1 million gallons in the original bids, but the plant can be modified to accommodate such use should the need arise in the future.

Current water usage in Willow Park is about 350,000 gallons per day.

Other tweaks in the search for new bids included taking out some landscaping and concrete paving, Turner noted. Whereas previous bids were coming in around $20 million, he said the highest bid this time was around $16.8 million.

The new plant is north of Interstate 20 near Crown Point Boulevard, not far from the site where Willow Park Baptist Church is building a new church. It’s only a few hundred yards from the current location on the north end of the new Crown Point Development.

The city and WPBC agreed to a land swap, with the church getting property where the current treatment plant sits for development.

The majority of the cost for construction of the plant will come from the anticipated release of about $11.5 million to the city from the Texas Water Development Board. To cover the rest, the council approved the issuance of certificates of obligation for around $4,000,000.

"They're a reputable contractor," he stated.


• ​Willow Park Civics Blog > Nope, you didn't flush more in September. Increase in Willow Park Wastewater Sewer Rates, posted 25 October 2023,


• The City's wastewater fee was increased in October 2023, passed by the Council in the 12 September 2023 Council Meeting.


• During the 14 September 2023 Council Meeting, the City accepted the bit from from Gracon Construction, Inc. of $13,606,655.00 for the diminished 750K gallon capacity WPTP and posting of notice of intention to issue certificates of obligation in an amount not to exceed $4,000,000 in addition to the $14,130,000 already assumed debt.


• Discussed the wastewater fee fund "This fund is the most vulnerable of all funds in the Budget. With approximately half of the water accounts, and the imposition of a new wastewater treatment plant debt, this fund will struggle until additional accounts can be realized."

• Had a presentation from NewGen Strategies and Solutions on increasing fees for the water and waste water funds, which was approved in a subsequent council meeting.

• Reduce the WasteWater Treatment plant design from a 1 million gallon capacity plant to a 750K gallon capacity plant and authorize City staff to re-advertise to seek competitive proposals."


• In July 2023 the Council cancelled the bid from MH Civil Constructors, considered a law suit against them; the law suit was subsequently approved.

• 18 July 2023 Special Council Meeting, Agenda Items 3, 4, 5

• 3. Discussion/Action: the City Council may approve a resolution awarding a bid to construct a wastewater treatment plant. #WastewaterTreatmentPlan

• 4. Discussion/Action: the City Council may approve a resolution rejecting all bids for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant. 

• 5. Discussion/Action: the City Council may approve a resolution rejecting all bids for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant and authorize staff to rebid the project.


• In the 25 April 2023 Council Meeting the city approved the final plat for the new WWPT


• In June 2023, the City, accepted a bid for the WasteWater Treatment from MH Civil Constructors

• In the 03 February 2023 The Community News the city posted a public notice "The City of Willow Park (City) is proposing to use $14,130,000 in financing from the CWSRF Program for the Wastewater Treatment Improvement Project to construct a new 0.95 million-gallons-per day (MGD) wastewater treatment plant, including associated collection and discharge pipelines..."


2022

• During the 14 June 2022 Council Meeting, the City Council had "a presentation that would provide wastewater services to areas within the city limits that do not currently have those services. Derek as prepared a presentation, which is attached [in .pdf], that goes in to detail about the challenges of this project on both the north and south sides of Willow Park."

• 12 April 2022 Council Meeting, Agenda Item 1, A public hearing is being held on February 22, 2021 at 7:00 PM at 516 Ranch House Road to discuss the City of Willow Park's proposed project to build a new wastewater treatment plant and pipeline North of IH-20 near Crowne Point Boulevard. One of the purposes of this hearing is to discuss the potential environmental impacts of the project and alternatives to it. The total estimated cost of the project is $14.31 million. The estimated monthly bill for a typical resident is currently $50.90. A user rate increase of $3.00/ month [5.9%] will be required to finance this project.

• Willow Park Civics Blog >Public Hearing on increase in utility bill, Wastewater Treatment Plant, 22 January 2022 (12 April 2022 Council Meeting)


Willow Park Civics Research


source TDLR

• Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation

Project Name: Wastewater Treatment Improvements

Project Number: TABS2023004206

Facility Name: Wastewater Treatment Plant

Location Address: 300 Crown Pointe Blvd Willow Park, TX 76087

Location County: Parker

Start Date: 3/1/2023

Completion Date: 3/1/2024

Estimated Cost: $14,130,000

Type of Work: New Construction

Type of Funds: This project involves public funds, public land, or is a Federally funded roadway project.

Scope of Work: New plant and office building for the city water treatment plant.

Square Footage: 3,436 ft 2


source VBX

Feature Photo: The existing wastewater treatment plant is exceeding 80% of capacity. Willow Park is borrowing $14 million to build a new one.


Willow Park (Parker County) — The city of Willow Park is in the process of securing a $14,130,000 loan from the Texas Water Development Board for the planning, design, land acquisition and construction of a new wastewater treatment plant, and associated piping for transmission and discharge lines.


The TWDB on April 22 approved a resolution that would provide the financing from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Willow Park’s wastewater system services a population of 1,941 with 482 connections.


Willow Park has exceeded 80 percent of the city’s wastewater treatment plant capacity. That threshold triggers a state requirement to initiate engineering and financial planning for expansion of the system. A second issue that must be addressed is the wastewater treatment plant’s discharge into an impaired stream segment; this limits options for expansion of the existing facility.


The city is proposing to construct a new wastewater treatment plant. The project will include construction of anew 1 million-gallons per day facility on a 56-acre site. The scope of work includes installation of associated transmission and discharge lines.


Willow Park is scheduled to close on the loan by July 1. The engineering feasibility report is not expected to be finished until June 3, 2022, and the design phase is to be completed by Sept. 12, 2022, according to the project schedule.


Construction would being by Jan. 12, 2023 and reach completion Jan. 12, 2024.


According to the budget summary, the estimated share of cost for construction is $10,280,000. The land acquisition is estimated at $1.4 million and the remainder of costs are attributed to engineering, special services, fiscal services and the contingency account.


Source TWN

• Texas Water Development Board approves $14,130,000 to the City of Willow Park (Parker County) for a wastewater treatment plant project, Texas Water Newsroom, 22 April 202, The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) today approved by resolution financial assistance in the amount of a $14,130,000 loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to the City of Willow Park (Parker County). The City will use the assistance to finance planning, acquisition, design, and construction costs associated with a wastewater treatment plant project.


The City could save approximately $2,500,000 over the life of the loan by using the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.


With the assistance approved today, the City will construct a new 1-million-gallon-per-day wastewater treatment plant and install associated transition and discharge lines.


The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional water and flood planning, and preparing the state water and flood plans. The TWDB administers cost-effective financial assistance programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control, and agricultural water conservation projects.






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