NTMWD taps settlement funds for Tawakoni PFAS treatment design

NTMWD taps settlement funds for Tawakoni PFAS treatment designThe North Texas Municipal Water District has awarded a $3.09 million final design contract to Black & Veatch for advanced PFAS removal, leveraging national litigation payouts to meet an impending 2029 regulatory deadline.

Black & Veatch secured a $3.09 million contract for final design and bidding engineering services at the Tawakoni Water Treatment Plant.

The design phase is being funded by proceeds from NTMWD's participation in national multi-jurisdictional PFAS litigation.

The utility must implement advanced treatment by April 2029 to address raw water from Lake Tawakoni that exceeds maximum contaminant levels.

The board also approved a $7.64 million early procurement authorization with Sundt Construction for filter improvements at the Wylie Water Treatment Plant complex.

The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) is channeling proceeds from multi-jurisdictional litigation settlements to fund advanced treatment upgrades for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). On April 23, 2026, the NTMWD Board of Directors authorized a $3,093,000 engineering services agreement with Black and Veatch Corporation. The contract covers final design and bidding services required to construct an advanced PFAS removal treatment train at the Tawakoni Water Treatment Plant. The project is driven by emerging regulatory pressures. Raw water drawn from Lake Tawakoni contains PFAS concentrations that exceed maximum contaminant levels, according to a committee report delivered by Director Jack May. The utility is mandated to achieve compliance with new potable water quality requirements by April 2029. During the meeting, the executive director confirmed the financial strategy for the mandate, noting that the design phase will be paid for using funds received from the district's participation in nationwide PFAS litigation. The district anticipates that additional settlement funds yet to be received will ultimately help cover the broader scope of the project's costs. In a separate move to modernize its treatment infrastructure, the board authorized $7,645,844 to Sundt Construction, Inc. for early materials procurement related to the Wylie Complex Filter Improvements. Approved as an amendment to an existing Construction Manager At-Risk (CMAR) agreement, the funds will be used to improve 18 filters at Wylie Water Treatment Plants 2 and 3. Expediting the procurement process ensures that materials will be on-site for a planned construction window spanning from the fall of 2026 to the spring of 2027. The board also advanced two additional engineering contracts for regional water infrastructure. CDM Smith, Inc. was awarded a $1,915,215 final design contract for mechanical and electrical reliability improvements at the Texoma Raw Water Pump Station. Additionally, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. secured $1,332,231 for the final design of meter vault standardizations and set point control implementations across 23 delivery sites.