City staff outline semiannual capital projects update, highlight $256 million Wilberger Creek wastewater plan

City staff presented a semiannual update to the Boards and Commissions on the city’s capital-improvement projects, laying out schedules and costs for water and wastewater works, transportation corridors, facilities and park developments.

Matt Rector, director of utilities, opened the presentation and gave an overview of active projects across the portfolio, saying the city is managing projects in multiple stages — from professional-services procurement to near-completion. He summarized project counts across categories, noting facilities, five parks, 26 transportation projects, 10 water projects, 12 wastewater projects and two reclaimed-water districts.

Jeff Dunworth, assistant utility director and city engineer, provided detailed descriptions of key water and wastewater efforts. He said the city’s water-treatment-plant expansion will grow capacity from 17.7 million gallons per day to 30 MGD to support long-term buildout. “It’s going to expand our 17.7 million gallons a day to 30 MGD operation,” Dunworth said, adding the upgrades include filter-media replacements and optimization for future expansion.

Dunworth identified the Wilberger Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility as a major upcoming project. He described it as a greenfield site of roughly “200‑something acres” and gave a construction estimate of $256 million. The city has selected a construction-manager-at-risk delivery method and is targeting spring 2027 for the facility to become operational, followed by a six‑month commissioning period during which the contractor will operate and train staff.

The utilities presentation also covered a 42‑inch Colorado River pipeline project with multiple contracts (two pipeline contracts and a pump-station contract), proposed pump-station upgrades to increase capacity, and several interceptor and lift‑station projects to improve system resilience and enable gravity flow to the future Wilberger plant.

Facilities staff said the downtown east complex — a new recreation center and city hall — is expected to be finished this fall, and the new public works complex near the water plant is scheduled for early 2027. Staff noted the commission’s meeting location will shift to the new downtown east facility once it opens.

Hassan Raza, engineering manager for transportation, reviewed a slate of roadway and intersection projects intended to address congestion and improve safety. Projects discussed included Melbourne Lane, East Peon Street, Kelly Lane phase 3 (conversion from two lanes to four with four roundabouts and shared-use paths), East Flugerville Parkway and several intersection‑safety projects. Raza gave design‑completion percentages and anticipated bid timelines while noting some schedules depend on utility relocations and additional funding.

During questions about a proposed service road connection along State Highway 45, Raza said prior studies focused on potential toll‑revenue losses to TxDOT and that that estimate can be large enough to stall negotiations. He said the city plans to commission an independent financial study to re-evaluate projected losses and may propose design concessions, such as an additional ramp, to offset revenue impacts. “It’s at a political level. It’s not at an engineering level,” Raza said of the negotiations with TxDOT.

Parks staff reviewed bond-funded park projects, including Lake Flugerville phase two (northern beach amenities, wetlands boardwalk and a new trailhead), a regional “destination playground” at BS Park intended to attract visitors and spur nearby economic activity, 1849 Park (construction complete but opening delayed to allow turf establishment), and Kelly Lane Park (substantial completion expected soon, including the city’s first outdoor pickleball courts).

Procedural action: the committee approved the consent agenda (Item 3A) after a motion and second; the roll call recorded three members saying “I,” and the chair noted one member was absent. With no further business, the chair adjourned the meeting at 5:32 p.m.

What’s next: staff did not set new vote dates for the major projects at the meeting; several transportation bids and council approvals were described as pending or scheduled for upcoming council meetings. The Wilberger Creek facility remains on a spring 2027 operational timeline if contracting and construction proceed as planned.