Site work on a nearly $40 million sewer plant starts next week, with treatment aimed to begin by next fall

Crews are expected on site next week to begin clearing ground for Howe's own wastewater treatment plant, the head of the private utility building it told KTEN, a step toward ending the town's long reliance on Sherman to treat its sewage.

"We'll be out there next week, beginning to do stuff like clearing and cleaning the site, and getting all the silt fencing," Steven Greenberg, chief executive of BVRT II Water Utility Company, said in a KTEN report that aired Wednesday.

Full construction is targeted for late November, and the company is aiming to have the plant running by next fall, the station reported. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held in June.

Size and cost

Nearly $40 million is going toward the plant and sewer upgrades, according to the report. Greenberg said the first phase will treat 600,000 gallons a day, enough to serve about 4,500 single-family homes, and the plant is designed to grow as more homes and businesses come.

The company also hopes to reuse treated water. Greenberg said it would be safe for uses such as watering lawns and parks.

Why the town wanted its own plant

Howe has sent its wastewater to Sherman for treatment for decades. City Administrator Monte Walker told KTEN the town needs its own water and sewer operations to keep growing. "That's going to free us up to be able to grow at our pace instead of... being hamstrung by someone else," he said.

Howe was BVRT II's first project north of Dallas, and the company has since taken on work with other growing cities in the region, KTEN reported. Greenberg described the company as an option for small towns that lack the money or the technical and management staff to run such systems themselves.

Last week the City Council rezoned 27.5 acres at 540 W. FM 902 to manufacturing for BVRT II's planned plant.

Sources

KTEN