Miramar presents $568 million water and wastewater master plan, asks commission to consider adoption

City staff and three consulting firms presented a 20-year water and wastewater master plan to the Miramar City Commission at a workshop, recommending roughly $568 million in capital investment over the planning horizon and asking the commission to consider adopting the plan in a future meeting.

The master plan — prepared by Brown and Caldwell, Stantec and Hazen and Sawyer in coordination with Miramar utilities staff — outlines immediate and long-term projects across four areas: water supply and treatment; water distribution and transmission; wastewater collection and transmission; and wastewater reclamation and residuals management. The presentation stressed upgrades for aging infrastructure, projects to maintain regulatory compliance and investments to increase reliability and capacity.

Francois Dumont, director of utilities, told the commission the city had not previously had a consolidated master plan and that the documents will guide capital improvement program (CIP) priorities. “This is the first time,” Dumont said of producing a consolidated water and wastewater master plan for Miramar.

Nigel Grace of Brown and Caldwell summarized supply and treatment findings and permitting outcomes. He said the city secured a 30-year water use permit that added about 3,400,000 gallons per day of allocation, shifting future growth supply toward the Floridan aquifer while using a temporary increase from the Biscayne aquifer as a bridge. Grace described the East Water Treatment Plant as site-constrained and largely at build-out, while calling the West Water Treatment Plant the principal site for future expansions. He estimated about $48 million focused on water supply and treatment in the near term.

Mike DuPont of Stantec outlined distribution-system priorities based on hydraulic modeling. Stantec identified roughly 430 miles of pipeline in the distribution system and found approximately 21 miles of mains of 4 inches or less in diameter — mostly in the eastern portion of the city — that do not meet current fire-flow or modern main-size standards. The consultants identified 42 locations with insufficient fire flow, recommended adding about 4,000,000 gallons of storage within five years, and flagged areas where water age and low pressure could create quality concerns.

Phil Cook of Hazen and Sawyer presented the wastewater assessment. Miramar’s wastewater system serves about 140,000 residents (with Country Club Ranches remaining on septic outside the 20-year planning horizon), and the city’s wastewater treatment plant has a permitted capacity of 12,700,000 gallons per day. Including expected development flows, the consultants estimated wastewater flow could rise about 34% by the year 2045. Hazen and Sawyer recommended near-term mechanical renewals and an expansion program; the firm identified roughly $260 million in wastewater projects over the next 10 years.

The plan’s consolidated 20-year capital total is about $568 million, with roughly $246 million concentrated in the first five years, the presentation said. Consultants and staff described a risk-based prioritization approach that ranks projects by criticality, asset condition, capacity needs, regulatory compliance and reliability.

Commissioners and staff spent the question-and-answer portion probing costs, growth assumptions, system inventory and regulatory risk. Commissioner Coburn called the subject “extremely important” and asked to continue discussion. Commissioner Chambers expressed resident concerns about growth and asked who will pay for the program, saying “the checkbook won’t be open wide like before.”

On technical and operational matters, the commission pressed staff about geographic priorities and asset management. Stantec recommended replacing the 21 miles of small-diameter mains in multiple phases and suggested targeted storage additions and pump optimizations. Dumont said the utilities department has begun installing pressure sensors and has expanded GIS staffing, and he described an upcoming water-main replacement tied to the Historic Miramar Phase 5 project.

On regulatory issues, consultants noted that evolving federal and state rules — including future PFAS requirements — will affect design and costs. Shalanda Craigie, senior water quality manager, addressed PFAS briefly and said Miramar’s treatment processes (including nanofiltration and reverse osmosis at some facilities) factor into how the city will respond as standards evolve.

Consultants and staff outlined funding options that will be examined further with finance and budget staff before projects proceed from feasibility and design to permitting and construction. Potential tools mentioned include state revolving fund loans (SRF), WIFIA and other federal loan and grant programs, bonds and reuse-water revenue opportunities (including sales of reclaimed water to neighboring jurisdictions).

Dumont said staff will return with a shorter presentation and a formal recommendation for adoption; he indicated staff expected to present the adoption item at the commission’s April 16 meeting after additional briefings.

The workshop closed with commissioners urging continued engagement with internal operations, GIS and maintenance teams, and discussion of phasing to avoid overwhelming the city’s financing capacity. No formal vote or adoption occurred at the workshop; the presentation was informational and the item was scheduled for future consideration.