TWDB to Act Nov. 12 on $34 Million for Marble Falls Wastewater Plant and $30.3 Million for Weatherford PFAS Treatment

The Texas Water Development Board will consider about $78.6 million in water and wastewater financing at its Nov. 12 meeting in Austin, according to the board's agenda. The two largest items are a $34 million Clean Water State Revolving Fund commitment for Marble Falls' $121.8 million wastewater treatment plant relocation and a grant of up to $30,315,905 for Weatherford to add PFAS treatment at its water plant. The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m.

Marble Falls is moving its wastewater plant out of a floodplain that has flooded in major events over the past decade. The new plant would double capacity from 1.5 million gallons a day to 3.0 million gallons a day, partly to reduce the city's reliance on drought-prone reservoirs. The project is being delivered by construction manager-at-risk and is Phase 1 of a multiphase plan toward advanced reclamation and direct potable reuse.

The Marble Falls work includes a lift station, force main, preliminary treatment, drainage pumping, odor control, flow equalization, secondary treatment, effluent filtration, disinfection, biosolids handling and electrical and operations buildings. The board packet lists December 16, 2025, as the construction start and November 15, 2029, as the completion target.

The total budget is $121,848,238. That combines $75,045,500 in earlier TWDB commitments, the new $34 million and $12,802,738 in local and other funds. The new commitment would take the form of TWDB purchasing the city's Series 2027 certificates of obligation at an estimated 2.84% rate, with a final principal payment on June 15, 2056, and closing set for Feb. 15, 2027.

The packet flags financial strain, including debt-service coverage below the board’s benchmark and the need for an additional rate increase before closing. The requested assistance remains subject to the November 12 board decision and financing conditions.

Weatherford's request would fund planning, design and construction of PFAS treatment at its 14 million-gallon-a-day water purification plant, built in 1993. The plant draws on Lake Weatherford and Lake Benbrook, and the distribution system has PFAS and PFOS above federal maximum contaminant levels. The money would come entirely as a grant from the federally funded Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program for emerging contaminants in small or disadvantaged communities.

Granular activated carbon is the preferred treatment, pending a pilot study, with reverse osmosis and ion exchange as alternatives. Proposed work includes modified contactors and four new carbon contactors, a 108,000-gallon backwash basin, two 6,375-gallon-per-minute backwash pumps, four turbine pumps and pump station, electrical and chemical-feed upgrades. The budget includes $23,451,000 for construction, $3.82 million in basic engineering and a $1,924,905 contingency.

Weatherford's schedule calls for closing on Feb. 15, 2027, design by Aug. 30, 2027, and construction from Nov. 30, 2027, to May 30, 2029. Federal Build America, Buy America requirements apply. Other items on the agenda include up to $4,752,500 for San Marcos flood planning, a $3,235,000 flood loan for Austin, $3.0 million for San Angelo's lead service line inventory, $1.5 million for Harris County Fresh Water Supply District 1A, a $1.0 million grant for Plainview and $750,000 for a Lubbock County water system.

Neither packet names the construction manager or engineer for its project.