New wastewater plant in Granite Shoals on schedule for 2026 completion
OLD AQUA TEXAS PLANT- The current wastewater treatment plant near the Tropical Hideaway condominiums in Granite Shoals will likely be replaced by September 2026, according to owner Aqua Texas. Despite a few financial setbacks, the project is on schedule. File photo
The new Aqua Texas wastewater treatment plant in Granite Shoals is due to be completed by September 2026 despite early challenges.
The B&W Gatherings Wastewater Treatment Plant, located between Lakecrest and Moss drives, has been in development since 2023 and is expected to be finished by Sept. 30, 2026, according to Assistant City Manager/Fire Chief Tim Campbell. The plant is privately owned and currently services the Tropical Hideaway condominiums. It will also soon serve the Granite Pointe subdivision.
Campbell told the Granite Shoals City Council on Oct. 14 that the project has run into “a couple of snags,” including initial bids coming in higher than expected at around $4 million rather than the previously predicted $2.5 to $3 million. But, he said, the project remains on track.
“(Aqua Texas) was afraid accepting the bids on that would affect the bills—if you would—on the citizens they serve,” Campbell explained.
In response to the higher-than-expected bids, Aqua Texas rewrote the contract and received new bids at a more favorable price, though the company did not share the final figure with the city.
Campbell described it as a “complete changeout” from the current system, which has drawn numerous complaints about odor and performance.
The existing plant has faced scrutiny for years. In 2021, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality cited Aqua Texas with 11 violations of state water treatment facility standards. In November 2022, about 2,000 gallons of sewage spilled into the Tropical Hideaway neighborhood over Thanksgiving weekend.
To avoid service interruptions, the old plant will remain in operation until the new facility is completed.
The upgraded plant is expected to be more efficient, have higher capacity, and produce less odor. Campbell said the added capacity is not expected to result in expanded services for homes outside of Tropical Hideaway and Granite Pointe.
“(Aqua Texas) kind of has a geographic area that they can serve, and I think they’ll probably stick to that,” Campbell said in the meeting.
The Granite Pointe subdivision, which includes 25 lots and several condominiums, is the only area currently planned for service expansion. Aqua Texas is under contract to provide wastewater services there, and homes in the subdivision cannot be occupied until the new plant is completed.