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Ennis hears utility master plan; officials say water, sewer systems near capacity and bond funding planned
Summary
Consultants and public works staff told the Ennis City Commission that water and sewer systems are nearing regulatory and operational capacity, recommending staged upgrades, treatment‑plant expansions and bond funding to keep pace with growth.
The Ennis City Commission on Sept. 17 received an updated water and sewer master plan that officials said shows the city’s treatment and storage systems are approaching — and in places exceeding — regulatory and operational capacity.
"Our current water treatment plant capacity is 9.1 million gallons a day," said Jeremy, a consultant with Shawarmigan Polk Engineering, presenting the study. He said the plan aims to increase that capacity to 12 MGD by the end of 2026 and to about 17.6 MGD by 2030. On the sewer side, the study recommends expanding wastewater treatment to 6 MGD by 2027 and to 8 MGD after 2028.
The master plan identified roughly $93 million in water infrastructure projects and about $106 million in sanitary‑sewer projects, Jeremy said, and grouped projects by priority: plant upgrades and major treatment projects as priority 1, and smaller, geographically limited line work as priority 2.
Ed Green, public works director, told commissioners the department logged 281 main‑line breaks and 184 service‑line repairs in the last year and spent heavily on lift‑station repairs. "Fifty percent of our budget went to lift station repairs," Green said, adding that repairs and emergency pump replacements had driven budget amendments this year.
Green described the Liska basin as a particularly large drainage area constrained by a long force main that has experienced leaks; the city plans to upsize sections of that force main from 14 inches to 20 inches and to invest roughly $2 million in pumps, SCADA and generators for the basin.
Jeremy and Green both stressed the role of Texas Commission on Environmental Quality thresholds. "When you hit about 85% of capacity you have to submit planning reports to TCEQ," Jeremy said, adding that an updated master plan helps the city negotiate realistic timelines and funding with regulators and potential state funding partners.
City staff said the plan will be used to sequence projects and to plan bond issuances; the draft presented showed a model of roughly $20 million per bond issuance targeted to the highest‑priority items. Officials also discussed possible recycled‑water lines that would push demand curves outward by providing credits through reuse.
Commissioners and staff emphasized that the plan is a roadmap, not final engineering: staff will return with design timelines and budget recommendations. "We're at a tipping point in places," Mayor Cameron Rayburn said. "We need to move forward with the design and construction of these critical projects."
