Long Term Capital Projects

Lake Jackson started as a privately developed, master planned city back in the early 1940’s. The original Master Plan for the City was done by Alden Dow, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. Every twenty years the City does a major update of its Master Plan. In June 2016, City Council adopted its latest 20-year Master Plan.

The new Master Plan developed using the consultant Kendig Keast Collaborative, estimates a 2040 population of 36,100. This would mean finding homes for some 9,250 new residents. We will need some 20,925 water connections by then and the commensurate sewer system to accommodate that growth. While planning for our new residents we must renew our commitment to our existing residents and make sure that the infrastructure and facilities servicing our City are in the best possible condition. The 2016 Master Plan will guide this effort.

Part of that plan is to look at our near term and long-term infrastructure and facility needs.

In the short-term we want to complete the last of the major projects from the 1995/96 Master Plan that are still viewed as goals for this Master Plan. They include: •Complete Phase 3 of the Downtown Revitalization Project, $9.9 million project. This will include all or portions of That Way, Circle Way, and North Parking Place (construction to begin in September 2021). Once this phase is complete, sixty percent of downtown will have been reconstructed to meet our new pedestrian friendly design. •Implement Parks Master Plan and identify projects to be funded by the ½ Cent Optional Sales Tax Fund (project schedule in place). •Expand City Hall to provide more space for current operations and growth. The plan was to take this to the voters in May of 2020, but this was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the long-term we want to complete the pedestrian friendly Downtown Master Plan.

The new Master Plan focuses on our water and sewer system as well. In the short-term this will include:

• Replace major force mains from lift stations 1 and 25 to the Wastewater Treatment Plant and upgrade these and other lift stations (lift station 25 complete), lift station #1 force min is scheduled in FY21-22.

• Complete the extension of water/sewer lines and facilities to the Airport/Alden Area (complete). We do have $2 million ear-marked for the final sewer force main for repairs or replacement.

• Increase the maximum amount of surface water supply available from BWA from 2.0 MGD to 3.0 MGD.

• Increase groundwater production from the City’s 12 existing well by 0.7 MGD.

• Increase productivity of booster pumps in the system by 0.7 MGD.

• Add 0.45 million gallons of elevated water storage, from the current 2.55 million gallons.

• Add 0.05 million gallons of ground storage, from the current 4.25 million gallons.

This would take the water system’s capacity to 14,439 connections, or 579 more than the projected need of 13,860 after short-term growth. However, long-term development will involve another 7,065 connections for an ultimate total of 20,925. The upgraded capacity to handle 14,439 connections would need to increase by roughly another 6,500 connections. Potential actions to reach this long-term capacity could include:

• Increase the maximum amount of surface water supply available from BWA by another 2.5 MGD (to a long-term total of 5.5 MGD).

• Increase groundwater production from the City’s 12 existing well by another 3.6 MGD.

• Increase productivity of booster pumps in the system by an additional 6.1 MGD.

• Add another 1.3 million gallons of elevated water storage, for a new total of 4.25 million gallons (the same as the ground water storage total after the short-term upgrades).

Long-term we will also need to plan for an expansion to our Wastewater Treatment Plant:

Wastewater System Connection and Capacity Outlook

Capacity Flow % of Capacity Connections Conditions

5.85 MGD -- 100% 22,075 Current Permitted by State of Texas -- 3.11 MGD 53% 11,725 Current Actual (May 2016) -- -- 63% 13,860 Current + Short-Term Growth -- 4.39 MGD 75% 16,557 Threshold for Manadated Planning -- 5.26 MGD 90% 19,868 Design Threshold for Mandated -- -- 99.1% 21,785 Construction with all Long-Term Growth