SPI Insights

The Bell County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 is considering an estimated $228 million in water and wastewater treatment upgrades to serve the cities of Killeen and Belton and surrounding areas.

In a presentation to district board members on May 26, a ranked list of water system capital upgrades totaled a projected $173 million. Another $55 million would fund the expansion of the South Wastewater Treatment Plant at Chaparral Road.

Capacity improvements at the Belton Water Treatment Plant would increase capacity from 90 million gallons per day (MGD) to 115 MGD by 2026. The project’s first phase would remove portions of Plant 3 for an estimated $28.5 million. A second phase would be completed for a projected $88.7 million in time for growing population needs.

Proposed transmission main enhancements include a $16.6 million project to upsize a 30-inch main from the Belton facility to Nolanville Wye, a $17.4 million effort to upsize an 18-inch main to a 36-inch main from Nolanville Wye to Killeen Station, and replacement of surge tanks with 3.5 MGD tanks for $7 million.

Additional upgrades would build a new pump station at the Belton plant for $6.8 million to accommodate 57 MGD at 140 feet of total dynamic head pumping rate and install standby power generation capacity for $8 million to ensure total plant flow.