Arlington advances $112m treatment plant expansion as utility braces for PFAS and lead mandates

Arlington advances $112m treatment plant expansion as utility braces for PFAS and lead mandatesThe Texas municipality expects to complete its Pierce Birch clearwell project by July, even as it weighs the financial impact of upcoming 2029 PFAS regulations and plans assistance for residents with lead service lines.

The $112 million Pierce Birch Water Treatment Plant clearwell expansion is slated for completion in July, alongside a new two-year filter project.

The utility is proceeding with preliminary design for PFAS mitigation, aiming to shelve the plans in hopes the 2029 federal compliance deadline is extended.

Arlington identified 176 unknown service lines on private property and is developing a funding program to assist residents with replacements over the next decade.

The water department reported an overall budget of approximately $245 million for the previous year, adding 12 miles of water lines and six miles of sewer lines.

Arlington Water Utilities is nearing completion of a major facility expansion while simultaneously preparing for the financial impact of looming federal water quality mandates. During a March 10 city council meeting, Director of Water Utilities Alex Whiteway provided a year-end report detailing the utility's infrastructure progress, anchored by the $112 million expansion at the Pierce Birch Water Treatment Plant. The clearwell project, which Whiteway noted was recognized by Water World magazine for its complexity, is expected to be fully complete by July. The upgrade includes the relocation of the Green Oaks pump station to the Pierce Birch facility, allowing the old station to be taken offline. A subsequent two-year filter project at the plant has also commenced. While the utility is finalizing current capital projects, it is already bracing for upcoming regulatory requirements. Whiteway confirmed the city is moving forward with preliminary design for PFAS mitigation to meet a 2029 compliance deadline. However, he noted the city hopes the federal timeline might be pushed back to 2031 or later. "The overall goal is if we can do design and shelve it, if they can push that requirement back, that would help us a lot. We wouldn't have to take out that huge capital expense," Whiteway told the council. Additionally, the city is strategizing how to address private-side lead service lines. Arlington has achieved full compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule inventory, identifying 176 "unknown" connections located behind the meter on private property. The city has a 10-year window to replace these lines. Because the city's existing plumbing repair program only provides up to $1,500, Whiteway said staff are currently developing a new program to help residents fund the costly private-side replacements. The department, which operated on an overall budget of approximately $245 million last year, also reported steady network growth, adding 12 miles of water pipeline and six miles of sewer pipeline. To further optimize capital spending, the utility continues to target 30,000 feet of in-house design work annually to reduce external contracting costs.