Pearland outlines $100M‑plus water and wastewater CIP; surface water plant reduces well pumping, city weighs redundancy cost

City staff presented a detailed update of Pearland’s water and wastewater capital improvement program during a special council meeting on Dec. 8, outlining completed work, major projects in design and construction, and budgetary implications for rates in coming years.

The presentation said the five‑year water program totals about $109 million and the wastewater program roughly $105 million; staff warned that timing of planned debt issuance (expected May 2026) and reserve requirements will influence rate increases projected between 2% and 16.7% across FY26–30.

“The surface water treatment plant has accounted for 62% of all water consumption West of Cullen,” said Sean Gilmore, surface water treatment plant manager, adding the plant has reduced well pumpage in that area by 68% and cut purchased water by 23% while supplying an average of about 5,000,000 gallons per day and peaking at roughly 8,000,000 gpd. Staff said adding a fourth membrane rack would provide routine redundancy and allow one rack to be on standby for maintenance.

Staff noted completed water projects in 2025, including Bailey plant improvements that addressed iron and manganese and finished about $268,000 under budget, and a Country Place well generator replacement completed in July after extended lead times and finishing about $96,000 over the original budget. Fabiola, who led the project summaries, said about 80 active projects are listed on the city’s capital projects web page with quarterly updates and contact information.

Several projects in design were highlighted, including the FM 518 utility relocations (phase 1 at ~90% design) that TxDOT will construct, Creekview/Shadycross pipe replacements combined with drainage work funded by the 2023 bond program, and the Alice storage projects that combine a new 5,000,000‑gallon ground tank with tank rehabilitation to improve coordination and resource allocation.

On wastewater, staff said seven projects were completed in 2025, three of them lift station rehabilitations, and described the Berry Rose water reclamation facility expansion — the city’s largest wastewater project — which will increase permitted treatment capacity (from 3.1 MGD permitted toward a 5,000,000 gpd target), allow decommissioning of Longwood, and requires multiple GMP work packages under a construction‑manager‑at‑risk delivery method. Work associated with two GMP packages has started and a third is expected in early 2026; staff said the project remains under budget and construction is expected to be complete by 2028.

Council members pressed staff on timing and necessity of the surface water redundancy upgrade given current flows. Staff said the plant was designed for phased expansion (initial 10 MGD capability with an ultimate 20 MGD possible) and that redundancy was identified during the project work; they estimated delaying the redundancy project could reduce near‑term rate pressure by roughly 2–4 percentage points but cautioned that reserve and bond covenant requirements also drive future rate needs.

Council members also asked for more detailed schedules and construction start estimates for projects completing design; staff agreed to provide construction‑start projections and clarified that certain relocations will be constructed by TxDOT under an advanced funding agreement. On purchased water, staff explained two purchase arrangements with Houston (including a capital‑investor arrangement through GCWA that yields lower unit cost and a more expensive Shadow Creek take point tied to a different contract structure).

Staff said the city is updating both water and wastewater master plans (water master‑plan update under way; wastewater master‑plan update planned) and expects the water model update to be completed in calendar year 2027, after which staff will provide refined capacity and growth projections and options for expanding or partnering on additional plant capacity.

The council thanked staff for the presentations. The workshop adjourned at 5:09 p.m.