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Willow Park wastewater update: new plant delivery delays, council authorizes bids and negotiations
Summary
City staff said the new wastewater plant is ~65% complete with startup and testing projected for March–April; deliveries for headworks slipped to mid‑January. After executive session the council authorized lease negotiations for 120 El Chico Trail and directed Jacob & Martin to seek bids for the Bankhead Phase 2 water/wastewater extension at a special called meeting.
Project update: City staff reported on Dec. 9 that the new Willow Park wastewater treatment plant is roughly 65% complete. The contractor has installed major piping and structure; however delivery of some mechanical and treatment equipment has been delayed and the headworks delivery moved to the second week of January. Project manager Chase said startup and testing are projected to begin in mid‑March with testing extending through late April and final contract completion likely by late May or early April (schedule notes provided in the council packet).
Chase told the council that transferring flows from the existing plant to the new plant will be straightforward: "We basically just have to turn one line off, turn another one on." Decommissioning the existing plant and finding a contractor to remove or repurpose the existing facility remains in planning; staff said they are talking to the on‑site contractor and others about demolition and potential storage of salvaged assets.
Executive-session actions and subsequent votes: After an executive session under Texas Government Code Chapter 551, the council reconvened and authorized the city manager to enter negotiations with the tenant at 120 El Chico Trail regarding lease terms and expiration. The council also authorized Jacob & Martin Engineering to proceed to seek bids for the Bankhead Phase 2 water and wastewater utility extension project and called a special called meeting next Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. so that the bid‑seeking authorization could be completed before an expiration or timing constraint.
Why it matters: The wastewater plant schedule and equipment deliveries affect anticipated start-up of testing and the timeline for moving flows off the old plant. The council's post‑session approvals move forward procurement for the Bankhead Phase 2 extension and preserve the timeline to bid and execute utility extension work.
Ending: Staff will continue updates as equipment arrives and testing begins; a special meeting was scheduled to complete authorization to solicit bids and the council instructed staff to proceed with lease negotiations for the property discussed in executive session.
