New Regional Water System to Become Reality

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After many years, a new Regional Water System facility is being financed for the Texarkana area.

Here is the Press Release from the Riverbend Water Resources District:

Riverbend Water Resources District is excited to announce approval of up to $200 million in multi-year financing from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to finance planning, acquisition, design, and construction of a new regional water system. TWDB approved, by resolution, the request and application from RWRD for financing at their board meeting Wednesday morning.

RWRD is a locally controlled regional water district that was created to protect, conserve and manage the area’s water resources.  RWRD was legislatively created in 2009. Riverbend started with 8 member entities and has now grown to include 17 members.  Current members include: Annona, Atlanta, Avery, DeKalb, Hooks, Leary, Maud, Nash, New Boston, Redwater, Texarkana, Wake Village, TexAmericas Center, Central Bowie County Water Supply Corporation as well as Bowie, Cass and Red River Counties.

The new proposed regional water system would replace the current water treatment facility located on New Boston Road in Texarkana. The new water treatment facility will provide increased treatment capacity over the current treatment plant, and is proposed to be constructed on the TexAmericas property near other RWRD existing facilities. It would also be expandable in the future to meet long term growth and usage projections for the region. The system would include a new raw water intake structure to be constructed at Lake Wright Patman. There would also be a new raw water transmission line from the proposed intake structure to the proposed water treatment facility.

Sonja Yates Hubbard, RWRD’s Chairman of the Board, shared, “It has been a privilege to work with this group of mayors and member leaders, our directors, staff and consultants; all universally committed to the region and it’s future. This expansion prepares us to serve both the near-term needs of these communities and equips us for exponential economic expansion. This is a historic event.”

In early 2016, RWRD began to work with consultants to develop a Regional Water Master Plan with its members and other surrounding entities. The Regional Water Master Plan was developed to be a comprehensive plan covering regional water supply and treatment. The plan contained growth projections, current water supply assessments, and various alternatives to providing water to the region through proposed infrastructure improvements. Once completed in late 2018, the plan provided to Riverbend and its stakeholders a path forward through technical and financial data that supported constructing a new regional water treatment facility.

Since that time, securing funding has been the priority to keep the project moving forward. “Securing funding for this needed project has been a major point of focus for Riverbend,” said Kyle Dooley, RWRD’s Executive Director/CEO. “It is through many years of forethought, hard work, and cooperation of our members, communities, and directors that we were able to achieve this milestone today. We now turn our attention to design and construction of the project and look forward to serving our membership and region with water needed at present and into the future.”

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