New Orleans advances $2B total overhaul of aging water treatment plant

New Orleans advances $2B total overhaul of aging water treatment plantThe Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans has detailed a 30-year, phased master plan to completely rebuild its water treatment facilities without disrupting current operations, eyeing alternative delivery models and an upcoming design RFP.

The $1.5 billion to $2 billion initiative will replace the utility's treatment plant over 30 years, transitioning to plate settlers and covered contact basins.

SWBNO plans to issue an RFP by the end of 2026 for initial design work, which will include strategies for relocating existing buildings to clear space for Phase 1.

The utility is exploring alternative delivery methods, including design-build and construction manager at risk (CMAR), to execute the massive scale of the projects.

Short-term risk-based projects include the rollout of zinc orthophosphate for corrosion control, starting in May for the West Bank system.

The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) is moving forward with a 30-year Water Quality Master Plan that will require between $1.5 billion and $2 billion to completely replace its aging water treatment plant. The plan, developed over the past year with consultant CDM Smith, outlines a multi-phase total rebuild of the utility's treatment process. According to Chief of Engineering Chris Bergeron, the current facilities have operated well beyond their intended lifespan. While the utility currently maintains strong compliance with state health standards, the overhaul is necessary to mitigate future regulatory risks, including potential changes to the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI). Because the utility must maintain continuous water service during construction, Phase 1 of the master plan will require relocating existing on-site facilities—including the machine, meter, and electric shops—to clear space for a new sedimentation process. The new treatment train will replace traditional sedimentation basins with plate settlers. It will also incorporate aluminum chlorohydrate (ACH) for coagulation and move filtration to occur before the final covered contact basins. Bergeron noted that covering the basins is a critical change, as the current open-air contact basins require routine dredging of settled lime. Moving filtration ahead of the contact time makes sealing the basins mandatory to prevent unfiltered environmental contaminants from entering the system. To execute the overhaul, SWBNO staff are actively researching alternative project delivery methods. Bergeron indicated that traditional design-bid-build procurement would be challenging for projects of this scale, prompting the utility to explore design-build and construction manager at risk (CMAR) models, both of which are permitted under state law with appropriate approvals. The utility plans to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) by the end of 2026 to select a firm for initial design work, which will likely focus on a 10% design threshold and the logistics of relocating the existing buildings. In the near term, the master plan prioritizes immediate chemical optimizations. SWBNO will begin introducing zinc orthophosphate for enhanced corrosion control, a measure also aimed at mitigating saltwater intrusion risks. The chemical rollout will begin at the West Bank facility in May before expanding to the East Bank's Carrollton treatment plant later in the year. Bergeron noted it takes nine to 12 months for the chemical to adequately coat the pipes. Funding for the massive 30-year capital improvement plan remains a central challenge. The utility has secured a foothold in the state's capital outlay program, with a current bill allocating $9.5 million in Priority 2 funding and $4.5 million in Priority 5 funding to help initiate early projects. Moving forward, the utility's executive director will lead efforts to identify additional funding mechanisms, including bonds and potential rate adjustments, to support the generational investment.