GONZALES — The City of Gonzales hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 22 for Phase I of a new Industrial Wastewater (IW) System and Treatment Facility.
“This groundbreaking marks the beginning of a brighter more sustainable future for the City of Gonzales,” said City Manager Carmen Gil. “With this project, we’re not only meeting today’s needs, but also laying the foundation for growth and environmental stewardship for generations to come.”
The multi-phase wastewater program is a comprehensive approach to address current and future wastewater challenges.
Phase I will establish the Industrial Wastewater (IW) System and IW Treatment Facility on 55 acres of city-owned land near the City’s existing wastewater treatment plant and will be delivered under three contracts:
- Construct the IW Pipeline along Fermin Lane and to the Business Park;
- Construct the IW Treatment Facility; and
- While the IW Treatment Facility is under construction, a contract will be issued to rehabilitate the existing 21-inch sewer main constructed in 1981 by shifting sewer flows to the new IW Pipeline.
Phase I will increase the capacity of the City’s wastewater system by 1.0 MGD. The Phase I IW System will treat wastewater effluent from local packaging facilities, thereby decreasing the flow through the existing MWWTP and allowing commencement of Phase II, MWWTP upgrades, which will bring the MWWTP into compliance with current regulatory requirements.
Phase III will add additional treatment processes at the MWWTP to expand the wastewater system capacity to 2.9 MGD, which will accommodate projected housing growth through 2050. Phase IV will expand the IW System treatment capacity to 3.5 MGD to accommodate additional processing facilities in the City’s Industrial Business Park and add a recycled water component.
“Through the preparation of a Long-Term Wastewater Management Plan, this phased approach was determined to be the most sustainable and cost-effective solution to the City’s wastewater needs,” according to the City in a news release.
The project is being funded by a $29 million State Revolving Fund loan secured in July 2024 and represents a monumental step toward modernizing the city’s wastewater infrastructure.
Construction of the new IW System and Treatment Facility is estimated to be completed in 2027.
