Jun 14th 2022 | Posted in Water Projects by Texas Government Insider

Two flood mitigation and wastewater infrastructure projects captured $71.5 million in financial assistance from the state on June 9.
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) awarded $44 million to the Lumberton Municipal Utility District in Hardin County to replace its wastewater treatment plant and $27.5 million to the city of Sugar Land for a drainage improvement project.

Sugar Land City Hall

Located 15 miles north of Beaumont, the Lumberton district is proposing to construct a new 6 million gallons per day (MGD) wastewater treatment plant at the site of its existing 3.33 MGD plant which is deteriorating and suffering mechanical failures.

The plant is operating at a reduced effective capacity of 2.1 MGD due to high levels of biological oxygen demand of the influent. With an average daily flow of 1.8 MGD the plant has exceeded 75 percent of its capacity and must begin planning an expansion.
Lumberton’s plans for the new plant consist of two 3 MGD treatment trains with reuse of limited equipment from the existing plant. The project includes the acquisition of land to the north of the existing site as well as resizing the lift station to accommodate future inflow.
Design work is scheduled for completion in March 2023 with construction commencing in August 2023 and concluding by December 2025.
Sugar Land Regional Airport, the city’s Police and Fire Training Facility, and the historical Central Unit Prison are in an overflow area of Oyster Creek and have been among the multiple facilities impacted by recent floods.
The city obtained TWDB funds for the planning, design, and construction of a drainage improvement project that removes these properties from the 100-year floodplain.
State funds will help Sugar Land protect against Oyster Creek overflows and provide flood storage, stormwater harvesting, and water quality features. The project includes a wet detention pond, channel improvements, weir diversion structure, drop structures, and diversion channels from Oyster Creek to Bullhead Bayou. The estimated number of structures removed from the floodplain is 392.
Sugar Land’s project is set for design completion by December 2023. Construction will start in January 2024 and finish by November 2024.