Miles SmithThe Killeen City Council recently approved a 25-year water and wastewater master plan that recommends $128 million in improvements between now and 2050.
The plan also includes projections for the city’s growth, estimating that the population will rise from about 165,000 in 2025 to 223,000 in 2050.
“This is really the foundation of the master plan,” said Stephanie Neises, a group manager for Freese and Nichols, an engineering firm the city hired to author the plan.
The plan recommends spending slightly less than $79 million, divided across three phases. First-phase projects, which would total about $37 million, include replacing and adding water lines plus a new storage tank.
Long-term projects include expanding pump stations in the city.
On the wastewater side, an estimated $17 million would be needed for short-term projects, nearly $23 million for intermediate-term projects and around $8 million for long-term projects.
The estimated $49 million in costs includes adding, expanding and replacing wastewater mains along with a new lift station and rehabilitation of some existing infrastructure.
The plan estimated a growth rate as high as 1.75% over the next few years, declining slightly to 1.1% by 2050.
The city currently generates about $139,000 in impact fees every month. The city is also planning to hold an election for a revenue bond for water and wastewater projects.
Andrew Zagars, city engineer, said the order of projects suggested in the plan could change.
“The plan’s the first step,” he said.
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