Environment
BY BEN THOMPSON
Over the next several years, one of the two main treatment plants handling Austin’s wastewater will be receiving upgrades. The more than $1 billion in expansion and improvement projects at the Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant will be supported in part by an increase in Austin Water utility bills starting later this year. AW o cials say the utility remains equipped to process the tens of millions of gallons that ow through the system daily. The plant expansion is needed to serve a growing customer base. To comply with state environmental mandates for wastewater systems, according to AW o cials. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality requires expansion plans to begin when facilities reach 75% of their capacity. The plant now processes about 80% of its capacity daily. Austin Water rate increase approved
Facility upgrades
E. MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD.
Projects totaling over $1 billion will improve systems and expand capacity at one of Austin’s two main wastewater treatment plants. Plant protection: $120M* • New facility to handle high water levels during rainfall: $80M • Flood wall: $40M
JOHNNY MORRIS RD.
Treatment conversion: $220M* • Modernize existing capacity with new treatment processes, including nutrient removal and ultraviolet, or UV, disinfection
Plant renewal: $270M* • Structural rehabilitation: $250M • Water pumping station replacement: $20M
Expansion: $440M* • Increase capacity with modern treatment processes: $380M • New pipelines: $60M
WALNUT CREEK
*ROUNDED ESTIMATES
SOURCE: AUSTIN WATER, CITY OF AUSTIN COMMUNITY IMPACT
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Expansion explained
The cost
What’s next
The program is headlined by an expansion of the plant’s permitted treatment capacity from 75 to 100 million gallons of water daily, or MGD. It currently handles an average ow of 60 MGD. One million gallons would ll about 25,000 standard bathtubs, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Overall, Austin’s two main wastewater facili- ties—Walnut Creek and the South Austin Regional treatment plant—handle between 99-109 MGD.
A large chunk of project funding could come from the Environmental Protection Agency. In July, city o cials advanced Austin’s application for a federal Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan of up to $446.84 million. AW customers will also be on the hook for some project costs. The utility spent months studying an increase to its water service rates this year, according to AW representatives, partially driven by large infrastructure investments like those coming at Walnut Creek. City Council approved new rates for scal year 2024-25 on Aug. 14 that will increase water bills for the average resident by about 7.31%, or about $6 per month. The changes follow months of public engagement that garnered feedback from hundreds of Austinites, who asked for a rate structure supporting a ordability, water conservation, and system resilience and reliability. AW spokesperson Martin Barbosa said the utility’s tiered rate system priori- tizes a ordability and stability.
Final completion is expected in 2031. AW o cials said customers won't see service impacts while improvements are made.
Austin Water service area Walnut Creek sewer system area South Austin Regional sewer system area Wastewater facilities Austin wastewater service
AW wastewater capacity
Walnut Creek plant
Walnut Creek plant
South Austin Regional plant
45 TOLL
MGD (millions of gallons per day)
125
2031: 100
2005: 75 2005: 75
360
1988: 50
290
100
MOPAC
1990: 60
75
130 TOLL
2031: 75
71
50
35
183
25
0
South Austin Regional plant
45 TOLL
1980 1990
2000
2010
2020
2030
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NOTE: AUSTIN WATER ALSO HAS EIGHT SMALLER WASTEWATER PLANTS IN OUTLYING AREAS, MOSTLY ACQUIRED THROUGH ANNEXATION, WITH A COMBINED 4.63 MGD CAPACITY.
SOURCE: AUSTIN WATER COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: AUSTIN WATER COMMUNITY IMPACT
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SOUTHWEST AUSTIN DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION
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