WACO, Texas (KXXV) — A $1 million funding award will help launch the Flat Creek Water Reuse Project in Waco, an initiative designed to reuse treated wastewater for industrial purposes and reduce the strain on the city's drinking water.
Watch the full story here:
Congressman Pete Sessions and Waco Mayor Jim Holmes announced the award Friday morning. Sessions pushed for the money during the federal budget process, emphasizing that his working relationship with the mayor, city council, and local leaders is important for the future of the city.
"The use of drinking water is a higher-value commodity. And so we're trying to keep that for the citizens and then use for commercial purposes what I would call the reuse and the reuse is what this project is about," Sessions said.
The project will supply treated effluent, or wastewater, to businesses in the Waco Industrial Park for purposes that currently use drinking water. City leaders say the project will decrease the demand for drinking water, extend the life of Lake Waco, and support industrial growth. Waco currently operates two wastewater treatment plants, WMARSS and Bullhide Creek.
"Pete helps us get the tax dollars that we send to Washington back in Waco for these kinds of projects," Holmes said.
The $1 million award will kick off Phase 1-A of the project, which focuses on infrastructure improvements within the wastewater treatment plant and is expected to cost a total of $7 million. The entire plan will be carried out in four phases, costing nearly $58 million. The city says additional phases will move forward as more funding becomes available, which has not been worked out yet.
"But where most of the tax dollars go are for water, wastewater treatment, water treatment, water lines, roads, streets, things that aren't quite as visible. Most of it is below the ground," Holmes said.
"The below-the-ground projects are in a lot of ways more important than what we see above the ground," Holmes said.
"If we effectively use what we have, there will be room for not only these huge businesses that are moving here, but we continued economic growth and so this is where the city," Sessions said.
When asked if the reuse project would supply water for an Infrakey data center coming to Lacy Lakeview, Waco's city manager said the city has not received any request for water usage from the facility. Lacy Lakeview currently gets its water from Waco.
Sessions also noted that the mayor and chamber representatives will head to Washington, D.C., in June to meet with members of Congress and the administration to advocate for the community and tell Waco's story.
"It is important for the city of Waco to effectively come and be a part of the messaging that I give to members of Congress and this administration," Sessions said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
