Liberty Hill, Texas — The Liberty Hill City Council on a 7-0 vote approved a professional services agreement work order with Garver to prepare preliminary engineering and a 30% design for the North Fork Wastewater Treatment Plant, authorizing up to $1,350,485 and removing a 6% annual escalation clause from the work order.

Garver representatives told council the task order covers project administration, a design confirmation report and 30% design deliverable, a topographic site survey, geotechnical borings, and environmental review work including wetland delineation and agency coordination. "This evening we are here to discuss the North Fork Wastewater Treatment Plant preliminary design," Garver water team lead Greg Svoboda said during the presentation. Garver's Jeff Meadows described the task list: "This includes project administration, design confirmation and a 30% design deliverable, site survey, geotechnical engineering, and then environmental review for the site."

The nut graf — why this matters: Council and staff described the North Fork plant as a critical piece of the city's wastewater master plan. Liberty Hill's existing facility is near capacity after recent growth; the new plant is intended to increase treatment capacity and provide water reuse options for the city.

Most important facts: Garver said the 30% phase should take about four months. The firm will produce a basis-of-design report, 30% drawings and a class‑4 opinion of probable construction cost (Garver said that estimate includes roughly a 30% contingency). Garver explained the design will be sized to treat up to 1.4 million gallons per day (MGD) annual average in this phase and be readily expandable to 4.2 MGD in future phases. (Garver also noted earlier work by others had designed a 0.7 MGD initial facility with planned 1.4 MGD buildout.)

Funding and permitting: Garver staff told council that construction is planned to be financed in part through the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program, which the city expects to use for multiple water and wastewater projects. Garver said the Phase 1 (the 30% design) will be paid from the city's wastewater fund balance. The presentation noted the plant will be permitted for Type 1 reuse — meaning treated effluent can be used for purple‑pipe reuse — and the project team will pursue a discharge permit for the North Fork San Gabriel. The environmental scope includes US Fish and Wildlife Service coordination on listed species, migratory‑bird and eagle protections, a Texas Historical Commission archaeological review, and US Army Corps of Engineers coordination (including a pre‑construction notification if needed).

Council discussion and contract language: At least one council member pressed Garver and staff on a contract clause that would automatically increase unused portions of lump‑sum work by 6% annually; that clause is Garver's standard MSA language intended to protect against long multi‑year shelved projects. Garver representatives and city legal staff agreed they could remove the escalation language from future agreements, and council directed staff to remove the 6% escalation provision for this work order before final execution. A motion to approve the resolution (Resolution No. 2025‑R‑039) authorizing "PSA work order number 5 for design of North Fork Wastewater Treatment Plant with Garver Engineering in an amount not to exceed $1,350,485, subject to the removal of the 6% escalation clause" carried 7‑0.

Project schedule and next steps: Garver outlined a two‑phase path: the approved task order covers Phase 1 (to 30% design) and Garver will return to council for Phase 2 (final design, permitting, bidding and construction administration). Garver estimated final design would be complete by May 2026, bidding would take roughly three months, and construction about 30 months — putting full completion around 2028 if the schedule holds. Garver also said it would perform up to seven geotechnical borings for the site and develop tree‑protection and site layout options during the 30% phase.

Statements from staff and consultants are recorded in the council minutes and transcript. The firm noted it had previously reviewed a design prepared by another engineer and provided about 495 review comments, roughly 150 of which were categorized as highest priority during that review. Council approval authorizes Garver to proceed with the preliminary engineering work, subject to final contract revisions that strike the escalation clause.

What happens next: Garver will begin the Phase 1 scope once contract language is finalized and the city issues the work order. The firm will provide monthly progress reports and biweekly coordination calls with city staff. Council and staff also discussed scheduling follow‑up briefings and related water‑system work sessions as part of the city's overall infrastructure planning.

Lesser but relevant details: Garver described the larger WIFIA funding package as intended to cover this North Fork project plus other city projects (an advanced water‑purification facility, a Butler Farms elevated storage tank, and the South Fork wastewater plant on‑site lift station). The city engineer and finance staff said they will continue to review project budgets and provide cost detail to council as design estimates refine.

Ending — forward look: With the 30% design authorized, council and staff will track Garver's deliverables and return to council for approval of Phase 2 services and construction authorization. Council members asked staff to provide more analysis and to keep the public updated as permits and funding steps move forward.