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Utilities section of CIP focuses on reclaimed water, 5 MGD SH‑45 pump station and wastewater capacity; planning includes digital resiliency dark fiber
Summary
Utility staff briefed council on water, reclaimed water and wastewater projects in the CIP, including a 5 MGD pump station at SH‑45, Bluebark wastewater capacity work and a planning proposal for unconnected dark fiber to improve resiliency.
City utilities staff reviewed water, reclaimed water and wastewater projects in the draft FY26–30 CIP and described both capacity projects and resilience measures.
On potable water, staff highlighted a proposed 5 million‑gallon‑per‑day pump station and ground storage to serve the growth corridor along State Highway 45; design work for that pump station is slated to begin in FY26 and staff said the city owns the property identified for the station. On the reclaimed water front, staff described plans to advance purple‑pipe service on the city’s eastern CCN (Weis Lane corridor) to serve large irrigation customers and parks; the CIP contains two reclaimed water projects, one underway and one slated to begin in FY26 as part of a staged expansion tied to the utilities master plan.
On wastewater, staff reiterated that the Bluebark regional wastewater treatment facility is under construction as a major capacity project. Staff said the CIP emphasizes large gravity conveyance projects and interceptor pipelines across the growing sewersheds, and includes projects to decommission some lift stations and reduce operational risk.
Separately, planning and zoning discussion earlier in the work session called out a new “backup resiliency fiber network” project for the new water and wastewater treatment plants. A planning/commission speaker described a proposal to install dark fiber that would not be connected to the public Internet to provide a secure, resilient communications path for critical utility facilities.
Staff told council the CIP will rely on a mix of funding sources and said many large utility projects are expected to use low‑cost state and federal financing programs such as WIFIA and Texas Water Development Board loans or grants. Staff said they will continue seeking grant and low‑interest financing opportunities to limit impacts on ratepayers and taxpayers. No votes were taken; staff will return with project level design schedules and funding detail.
