Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant
Austin Water is modernizing and expanding the Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant to invest in our water future.
This year, Austin Water is starting construction on a $1 billion expansion and modernization project at Walnut Creek, adding 25 million gallons of daily treatment capacity to serve more than 1 million people across the Austin area and maintain reliable wastewater service for years to come.
With these investments, every part of the treatment process will be enhanced and upgraded, and we will be prepared to serve the growing needs of our City.
— Shay Ralls Roalson, Director, Austin Water
The existing plant came online in 1977 and is currently permitted to treat 75 million gallons per day. Flows into the plant exceeded 75% of total treatment capacity in 2015 and surpassed 90% of capacity for three months in 2024, triggering state requirements to expand the facility.
Project Overview
This project will provide significant operational enhancements and technical modernizations to the plant alongside the required expansion, replacing aging components and improving the treatment process to protect the environmental health of the Colorado River downstream of Austin.
These upgrades will replace the facility's current chemical disinfection system with an ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection process, which will eliminate the use of chlorine for disinfection and will make the plant inherently safer for workers and the community. To improve the resiliency of the plant against future weather events, a wall will be built around the site to protect it from floodwaters.
Timeline
Austin Water estimates a construction timeline of six years, with the expansion coming online in 2031.
Communications
Thank you to our neighbors who attended the June 2025 Public Meeting. It was a good opportunity to share information about the upcoming construction project.
Review the information shared during the meeting:
Walnut Creek June 2025 Public Meeting Presentation (Adobe PDF)
Walnut Creek June 2025 Public Meeting Presentation - Spanish (Adobe PDF)
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Emlea Chanslor
Austin Water Public Information Office
512-972-0145
emlea.chanslor@austintexas.gov
- Past Community Meetings
- August 24, 2023 Community Meeting
- May 24, 2022 Community Meeting
- June 29, 2021 Community Meeting
- Dec. 9, 2020 Community Meeting
- Liquid Waste Hauler Information
The City’s approved receiving station for hauled liquid wastes is also located at the Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. For more information, including receiving hours, please visit the Liquid Waste Hauler Program webpage.