The wastewater plant that treats much of Frisco's sewage is running toward its limit, and the regional water district is set to start designing a 5-million-gallon-a-day expansion this week.
The North Texas Municipal Water District board meets at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, and its agenda includes a $2,961,650 engineering services agreement with Hazen and Sawyer for preliminary design of the Stewart Creek West Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion. The district's Wastewater Committee reviews the item Wednesday.
Why the plant needs more room
The plant, located in Frisco, is permitted for an annual average of 10 million gallons a day, with peaks of 35 million gallons over two hours, according to the district's staff memo. It is made up of two 5-million-gallon plants: Plant I, built in 1992 and expanded in 1999, and Plant II, built in 2015.
The memo says Frisco has drawn several large entertainment venues and businesses, and flows to the plant have risen as a result. Using data from the city, the district projects the plant will have to handle 15 million gallons a day on average, with a 52.5-million-gallon two-hour peak.
Current projections put the needed finish date between 2031 and 2034, and construction is expected to take three to four years, so staff say design has to begin in 2026. The memo adds that the actual construction schedule will depend on real flows and growth and will be reviewed as design moves along.
Older half also gets attention
Plant I has aging equipment and has seen a steady rise in biochemical oxygen demand, a measure of the organic load in wastewater, which has cut into how much it can effectively treat, the memo says. The project would replace critical parts there to regain lost capacity and make the plant more reliable.
