Weatherford details water purification plant expansion, eyes state and federal grants

City staff provided a detailed status update on the Weatherford water purification plant expansion and related distribution-system rehabilitation, and identified near-term grant opportunities that could affect project timing.

Rick Shaffer (introduced in the meeting as "Mr. Shaffer") gave the board a phased update: Phase 2 (the filter process building) is advancing toward completion, with structural and masonry work largely in place; Phase 3 focuses on a new raw water pump station and upsized intake pipeline to increase capacity and redundancy; Phase 4 will add a new clear well, a second service pump station, backwash facilities, chemical system improvements and granular activated carbon (GAC) contactors aimed at removing emerging contaminants such as PFAS. Shaffer said staff expect 100% design plans in April, to advertise for bids in May and return to the board for award in August, but noted those dates could shift if grant funding is forthcoming.

On permitting, Shaffer said staff are coordinating with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Texas Historical Commission; an antiquities permit had been completed along with shovel tests that returned no findings. He described two grant pathways that could change the project budget and schedule: the Texas Water Development Board's implementation of House Bill 500, which staff said will publish an application window in early April and could make utilities of this size eligible for up to $15,000,000 in 100% grant funding; and an earlier invitation to apply for up to $30,000,000 in grant funding for the GAC structure under an emerging-contaminant program (staff noted that award notifications for that program may be delayed until after the House Bill 500 process concludes).

Shaffer also discussed procurement and scheduling options to avoid delaying the overall expansion: staff are considering pulling the GAC contactor work out of the main guaranteed maximum price package (GMP 5) and bidding it separately as GMP 6 so the remainder of Phase 4 can proceed on schedule. He emphasized federal procurement requirements that apply when federal funding is used, including Buy America/Build America provisions tied to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; staff said those terms will be put into bidding documents if federal grant funds are included.

Separately, Shaffer reviewed system inventory and long-term pipe replacement strategy: the city has roughly 311 miles of pipeline; about 62% is PVC and roughly 20% of the water system remains asbestos cement or cast iron, while about 24% of the wastewater collection system is clay. He said roughly 13% of the oldest materials have been replaced over the last five years and that, at current rates, full replacement of the oldest lines could take multiple decades. Shaffer recommended continuing to package rehabs for efficiency and to prioritize lines with high break histories.

Board members asked clarification questions about pump depth, conservation-pool elevation and the role of the Texas Historical Commission; Shaffer responded that the new intake design will allow all pumps to draw from both depths and that the conservation pool elevation would not change. Staff said the city intends to advertise with grant opportunities in mind and will adjust the award timeline if the city is notified of an award.

The board did not take a separate vote on these updates during the meeting; staff will return with contract awards and bid documents as the procurement process advances.