Avondale holds public hearing on wastewater impact-fee update tied to $155 million plant expansion

The Avondale City Council held a public hearing Oct. 6 on proposed land use assumptions and an infrastructure improvement plan that will form the basis for updated wastewater development impact fees.

The hearing focused on a planned expansion of the city's Water Reclamation Facility from 9,000,000 to 12,000,000 gallons per day and a project budget the presentation described as approximately $155,000,000. Eric Bey, public works assistant director, said, “This particular expansion is adding an additional 3,000,000 gallons a day of treatment capacity which will take our plant from 9,000,000 gallons a day of permitted capacity up to 12,000,000 gallons a day to accommodate these growing flows.”

Why it matters: the expansion’s cost and the city’s decision to debt‑finance the project are the main drivers of a proposed increase in the wastewater portion of the city’s development impact fees. Renee, the city’s finance and budget…