Hereford advances $59M wastewater treatment plant project

The Hereford City Council has authorized the pursuit of a $59 million mechanical wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to replace the existing facility. City officials note the project as a priority for the city and local communities. 

The current facility suffers from longstanding poor conditions, largely impacted by sludge accumulation. Rehabilitation was deemed unfeasible to resolve the plant’s reduced treatment capacity and outstanding operational and compliance issues. 

The Hereford City Council determined the best path forward is to build a mechanical activated sludge plant. Engineers preferred that option over rehabilitation or building a new lagoon system due to its long-term sustainability, regulatory compliance, operational flexibility and potential opportunities to reuse water. 

The decision to move forward with a new WWTP was based off of information gathered during a water and wastewater rate study conducted in January 2026. Long-term debt financing beginning in 2027 will be required to get the project off the ground. 

While the project timeline hasn’t been confirmed, officials have noted that they’ve submitted a Project Information Form to the Texas Water Development Board to receive funding assistance. Additional project details will be released later in the design process. 

Photo by Tim Sheerman-Chase, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, from Wikimedia Commons