Staff drop the single new plant concept; estimate falls below $1.5 billion
The City gave an update following "regular and numerous malfunctions at the plants." Staff proposed rehabilitating or repurposing parts of the Hollywood Road plant, building a smaller facility, and assessing River Road, in place of one new centralized plant. Staff said the cost would fall from a high estimate of $2-3 billion to under $1.5 billion.[1][2]
Sources give the River Road plant's construction year as 1922 or 1927. The City said it is being assessed for operational modifications and expansion for future growth.
Published cost estimates for replacing or expanding the wastewater plants have changed over time. All are estimates; the City has said the actual cost will not be known until bids or the design phase.
Projects of similar scope elsewhere were estimated at $860 million to $1.3 billion (Amarillo Tribune).
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In August-September 2025 the City moved away from a single new centralized plant toward improvements and expansion at Hollywood Road, a smaller new facility, and an assessment of River Road's functional capacity; staff estimated five to six years for the project.[1][2]
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KFDA reported that the City's August 2025 update followed "regular and numerous malfunctions at the plants."[1]
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The City said the two plants are "almost a combined 160 years old" and neither had a major upgrade in more than 20 years.[2]