Meridian public works lays out 10-year financial plan for water and wastewater capacity and compliance

Public Works Director Lorelei McVay told the Meridian City Council at its March 18 work session that the department’s 10-year comprehensive financial plan (CFP) focuses on growth-driven capacity, regulatory compliance and operational resiliency across water and wastewater systems.

McVay outlined near-term staffing and capital requests and longer-term placeholders. “Most things in public works are driven by one of the three things ... growth, regulations, or operational resiliency,” McVay said, and presented a phased schedule of hires and projects covering fiscal years 2026–2035.

Why it matters: the CFP contains projects and hiring that affect service capacity, regulatory compliance under the city’s upcoming wastewater permit cycle, and long-range operating costs that could influence rates and capital planning.

Near-term staffing and administrative items: McVay proposed several FTE additions and professional services in the five-year near term, including a compliance-focused position in 2027, an additional public-works inspector (2028), a GIS analyst (2028), a second SCADA programmer, and support for two cost-of-service studies (2028 and 2033). McVay said the city relies increasingly on a LIMS/WIMS data system and that programmed staffing would reduce dependence on…