Levelland hears update on $20.4 million wastewater plant; council approves several routine purchases and local actions

Park Hill project manager Daniel Albus told the Levelland City Council on Jan. 20 that engineering estimates put the new wastewater treatment plant’s construction cost at about $20,400,000 and laid out a permitting and bidding schedule intended to begin construction this spring.

Albus said the design will use a mechanical activated sludge process that allows the city to keep existing land-application areas in place while producing more consistent, higher-quality effluent for current and potential reuse customers. “So right now, we’re at an estimated construction cost, from engineering estimates of 20,400,000.0,” Daniel Albus, project manager for Park Hill, said during his presentation.

The project team said a draft state permit was received in November and the full design submittal was sent to state reviewers under Chapter 217. Park Hill reported that it received design approval faster than expected and is planning a formal bid advertisement for Jan. 30, with bids opening on March 6 and council review and possible award later in March. Albus said the estimated time from notice to proceed to completion is roughly 18 to 20 months, placing operation of the new plant in late 2027 if the schedule holds.

Why it matters: the city has classified its existing facility as approaching the end of useful life; failing mechanical components and rising sludge levels have reduced treatment reliability and complicated meeting state effluent requirements. Council members repeatedly pressed for speed and for protections against further failures while staff and consultants stressed the need to lock permitting and procurement details before advancing to construction.

Key technical and schedule details

- Process: mechanical activated sludge plant designed to close existing aeration ponds in place and allow continuous sludge disposal rather than ponding.

- Major components shown in renderings: laboratory and control building, maintenance shop, on-site lift station, sludge dewatering building, covered UV disinfection, two clarifiers, aeration basins, headworks with mechanical screen and flow measurement, and a transfer structure to handle return and waste activated sludge.

- Regulatory milestones: draft permit published in November; design submittal reviewed under Chapter 217 (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality design requirements) and design approval followed within weeks.

- Cost and contingency: engineering estimate $20,400,000; Park Hill recommended a working contingency around 10% as prudent for a project of this size—“I think a healthy number on a job this size is about 10%,” Albus said, noting that equals roughly $2,000,000 for change orders and unforeseen costs.

- Procurement and long-lead items: the consultant highlighted that medium-voltage electrical gear and motor control centers (MCCs), SCADA components, and generators are significant long-lead items. “What we're getting on those on any job I work on is somewhere around 40 weeks if everything goes well,” Albus said of MCC lead times, and advised early ordering once shop drawings are approved.

- Bidding schedule and construction timing: advertise Jan. 30; pre-bid and addendum period; open bids March 6; council review/possible award in March (presentation indicated March 24 but staff later noted the council’s second March meeting is March 17); site activity likely to ramp in May or later depending on submittals and mobilization.

Council questions and staff notes

Council members expressed frustration with the project’s elapsed timeline and the prospect of further delays. One council member said, “It should've been here a year ago,” and later noted concern that the plant might fail before the new facility comes online. Park Hill and staff replied that extended permitting timelines were largely driven by the state review and that TCEQ typically extends regulatory leeway once construction begins.

Park Hill and city staff described coordination with an ethanol plant customer, varying take-point arrangements that have helped stabilize operations this year, and soil and permit tests that have been favorable so far. The consultant said seasonal sludge blanket turnover remains a recurring operational challenge and that staff have planned for peak stress periods.

Votes at a glance

- Approved: Minutes of the Jan. 6, 2025 regular meeting (motion carried, no recorded roll-call names in the minutes).

- Tabled: Quarterly financial report for the quarter ending 12/31/2024 (council voted to table the item until the February meeting so staff and finance personnel can attend).

- Approved: Scope of work for repairs at 116 Walnut prepared by K and C Home Holdings, with staff monitoring and agreed exterior/plumbing milestones (item removed from the table and approved).

- Approved: Professional services agreement with Freese and Nichols (contractor name presented as Friese/Fries in the packet) for a zoning ordinance revision; estimated cost approximately $133,000; council authorized the city manager to execute necessary documents.

- Approved: Award bid for a backhoe loader for the water department (staff recommended a Caterpillar purchase based on trade-in and parts compatibility; motion to award carried).

- Approved: Purchase of one 72-inch and two 60-inch Kubota mowers for parks and cemetery departments (quotes from dealer Terry County Tractor; purchases under budget).

- Approved: Various public-safety expenditures for the Levelland Fire Department from ARPA funds per Resolution 2024-40, covering items such as radio equipment, hydrant color rings, thermal imaging equipment, SCBA masks, hoses and other safety gear.

- Approved (first reading): Ordinance No. 1088 ordering a May 3, 2025 special election to submit proposed amendments to the Levelland City Charter to voters; second reading and final adoption scheduled at the next meeting.

What the council did not decide tonight

Council did not take any formal action to start construction on the wastewater plant; the presentation was an update. Several council members asked staff to continue pressing the state permitting authority and to report back on bid results and contract awards when those items return to the agenda.

Closing and next steps

Park Hill and city staff will proceed with the advertised bidding timeline and return to council with bid results and a recommendation for award. Staff emphasized that long-lead electrical and control equipment will be on the critical path and recommended early procurement once submittals are approved.

The council will consider the second reading of the charter ordinance at its next regular meeting and will receive the financial quarter report and any construction award recommendations in future meetings.