Houston awards $48M Northside drainage contract and expands East Water Plant engineering

Houston awards $48M Northside drainage contract and expands East Water Plant engineeringThe city moved forward with significant capital projects on February 18, awarding a major construction contract for flood risk reduction and increasing funding for the expansion of a key water treatment facility.

SER Construction Partners, LLC was awarded a contract with a total appropriation of approximately $48.2 million for drainage and paving improvements in the Northside High School area.

Carollo Engineers, Inc. received a contract amendment adding over $19.9 million for advisory services related to the Expansion of the East Water Purification Plant.

Equix Integrity Southeast, Inc. secured a $1.28 million contract for wastewater collection system rehabilitation.

Council Member Mario Castillo noted the Northside project includes full rebuilds of storm sewers and underground utilities, supported by funding from Harris County Precinct 2.

Houston City Council approved significant capital expenditures for water and stormwater infrastructure on February 18, 2026, headlined by a major drainage improvement project in the Near Northside neighborhood. The council voted to appropriate approximately $48.2 million for the Northside High School Areas Drainage and Paving project, awarding the contract to SER Construction Partners, LLC. A Texas-based heavy civil firm founded in 1990, SER has a history of executing drainage and paving initiatives in the region, including the Brays Bayou federal flood control project and the Hillcroft Avenue extension. The complex funding package for this new contract includes $26.75 million from the Dedicated Drainage and Street Renewal Capital Fund, $15 million from the Contribution for Capital Projects Fund, and $6.46 million from the Water & Sewer System Consolidated Construction Fund. District H Council Member Mario Castillo highlighted the project's importance, noting it will deliver "significant investments improvements in drainage and flood risk reduction." He detailed that the scope includes "full rebuilds of concrete paving, storm sewers, curbs, sidewalks, and underground utilities." Castillo also acknowledged a financial partnership with Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia to facilitate the improvements. In the water supply sector, the council authorized a substantial amendment to a professional engineering services contract with Carollo Engineers, Inc. for the Expansion of the East Water Purification Plant. The ordinance appropriates an additional $16.69 million from the East Water Purification Plant Enhancement Project Fund and $3.21 million from the Water & Sewer System Consolidated Construction Fund. The amendment continues Carollo's role as Project Advisor/Technical Consultant for the facility's expansion. Additionally, the council approved a $1.28 million contract with Equix Integrity Southeast, Inc. for wastewater collection system rehabilitation and renewal. This project aims to support the city's ongoing efforts to maintain sewer infrastructure. Separately, during public hearings regarding a housing tax credit application on Highway 6, drainage capacity became a central point of contention. Residents testified that the local Municipal Utility District (MUD 355) had informed developers that it "does not have the capacity and can take no further runoff" from the proposed site. Speakers argued that covering the area with impermeable materials without a validated drainage plan would violate city ordinances requiring mitigation for 2-year and 100-year rainfall events.