Sister Grove Regional Water Resource Recovery Facility

Project Overview

Construction is underway at the Sister Grove Regional Water Resource Recovery Facility. Crews are working on the various plant structures including the aeration basin, primary clarifier, secondary clarifiers, headworks, peak flow basin and drain pump station.

The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) service area is seeing unprecedented growth. Additional treatment is needed to meet the growing wastewater demands in the Upper East Fork Interceptor System (UEFIS). NTMWD is building the Sister Grove RWRRF to effectively and proactively meet these future regional needs.

The facility will consist of a new wastewater treatment plant constructed on land owned by NTMWD that is partially bounded by FM 2933 and CR 336 to the west and FM 1827 to the south and east. The facility will be constructed with an initial average annual daily treatment capacity of 16 million gallons per day (MGD). The Sister Grove RWRRF plant will include liquid treatment process facilities, solids handling process facilities, peak flow handing facilities and plant operations support facilities. The project also consists of approximately 21,659 linear feet of 96-inch diameter pipeline from the facility site to the outfall at Stiff Creek. Approximately 9,550 linear feet of the pipe will be installed using a trenchless method.

In April of 2020, NTMWD received the wastewater permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

As NTMWD works to plan and build the infrastructure needed to serve our fast-growing region, we’re looking for all possible ways to manage costs for the people we serve. On February 27, 2020, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) approved $459 million in low-interest state funding for the Sister Grove RWRRF. Phases I and II of the project will be wholly funded by the TWDB Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). Financing from the program is expected to save $212.8 million in interest costs on the project.

 

 

As the process moves forward, NTMWD will communicate and coordinate with the neighboring cities of McKinney, Princeton and New Hope. We are committed to keeping these cities informed through the construction and operation phases.

Previous communication activities included public meetings in June 2018 in McKinney and in November 2018 in New Hope. District officials spoke about the project at both McKinney and New Hope city council meetings in June 2018, and District staff had an informational booth on the project at New Hope’s National Night Out events in 2018 and 2019. Additionally, in posted meetings that are open to the public, the NTMWD Board of Directors discussed and voted on various portions of the project in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

After listening to residents and meeting with city officials in McKinney, New Hope and Princeton, NTMWD has made some changes to the project. The peak flow basins have been moved closer to the plant and further away from the property boundaries. Additionally, we are adjusting the screening planned for the south end of the property to better shield the view of the facility for homeowners in the area.

 

Now that NTMWD has received the required wastewater permit from the TCEQ construction on the project is underway. In order to serve the growing population in the area, the facility will need to be operational in 2023.

 


Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Water Resource Recovery Facility?

Water Resource Recovery Facilities provide wastewater treatment prior to discharging into a body of water. These facilities are a critical element in maintaining the health of our watersheds. NTMWD is voluntarily implementing a watershed protection plan to further safeguard the Lavon Lake watershed with increasing urbanization in the area.

Why do we need the new Sister Grove Regional Water Resource Recovery Facility?

Currently, 700,000+ people are served by two facilities and projected growth will exceed the existing facilities serving Collin County by 2023.

How will the environment be protected and impacts mitigated?

Protecting water resources and preserving the natural environment is a high priority. Similar NTMWD facilities operate in this same manner and discharged water is typically of higher quality than naturally existing water in creeks and streams. As our team determined the location of the facility and its outfall location, a site was selected to minimize impacts on area streams and Lavon Lake. Sister Grove RWRRF will be designed to maintain the natural surroundings at the outfall location. As the project continues, NTMWD will:

  • Comply with all local, state and federal environmental protection requirements from design through operations
  • Engage with area communities throughout facility planning, construction and operation
  • Treat recovered water resources to high quality in compliance with TCEQ requirements
  • Will include advanced treatment and odor control technologies

How can I stay connected with the project?

NTMWD is committed to keeping the cities and residents of McKinney, Princeton and New Hope informed through the construction and operation phases.

This includes directly affected or adjacent community members to ensure the successful integration of the facility within the community. Our team will:

  • Work with community members to plan for and reduce impacts due to construction
  • Communicate regularly on planning, construction and operation
  • Provide updates to the cities of McKinney, New Hope and Princeton
  • Provide updates on the NTMWD website and social media channels

Download the project fact sheet.