Council approves $604,906 work authorization to finish wastewater plant design

The Fair Oaks Ranch City Council on Dec. 5 approved a work authorization with Kim LeHorn / Kimberly Horn & Associates to complete final design, permitting and construction-phase services for the wastewater treatment plant Phase 1 expansion.

Grant Watanabe, the city’s public works director, told council the 30% design phase is complete and produced a cost estimate of $4,100,000 (including a 30% contingency). He said the new authorization — $604,906 — will fund project management, surveying, construction documents and supplementary services including easement acquisition support and TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) permanent amendment support. “The cost for this is $604,906, which is in budget,” Watanabe said.

Staff described technical elements of the Phase 1 work: upgrades to the effluent pump station (replacing 15-hp pumps with 30-hp VFD submersible pumps), upsizing an off‑site conveyance main (to 12 inches over about 10,400 linear feet), lift-station improvements using solids‑handling pumps, and headworks odor-control measures using carbon absorption media (maintenance media replacement estimated at about $2,000–$2,500 every 3–5 years).

Watanabe summarized a water-balance study that found existing TCEQ permit limits (2 acre-feet per acre applied to about 80 acres of golf course) would be exceeded as the city grows; staff recommended pursuing a permit amendment to increase the allowable application to 4 acre-feet per acre. Construction will require a short street closure for trenching and temporary utility easements on the golf course, staff said. If approved, staff expects to complete final design by September 2025 and advertise for construction in fall 2025 with construction starting in early 2026.

Council voted by voice in favor; no member voiced opposition.