Fulshear City Council on Jan. 28 approved Agreement No. 2025‑024 with engineering firm Brown & Caldwell for design and test work on off‑site wells that will feed the Pecan Knoll water plant.

City project staff said the Pecan Knoll water plant construction remains underway with an overall budget of about $14.4 million; the city has been invoiced for roughly $8.6 million to date. The Brown & Caldwell contract covers engineering services for off‑site shallow and deep well construction and the collector line from the off‑site well to the plant. Staff described the work as an integrated, phased approach that begins with test well drilling and capacity/quality testing. The test results will determine final pump and electrical equipment sizing to avoid oversizing equipment.

City project manager Matthew Riley said a previous on‑site test well produced about 1,500 gallons per minute after testing (up from an earlier estimate of 1,200 gpm). Staff said the combined goal with on‑site and off‑site wells is to reach the plant’s design production (the packet referenced earlier planning to achieve up to about 4,000,000 gallons per day when all wells are complete). Brown & Caldwell engineer Susanna Blaser described a phased plan: build and test boreholes, evaluate water quality and capacity, then complete detailed design for pumps, motors and electrical systems.

City Manager Zach Goodlander briefed council on project progress: the elevated storage tank and much of site work are nearing completion, and temporary operations at the plant are being coordinated so the plant can produce water before permanent well motors and starters are delivered. Goodlander said the permanent motor order is in manufacturing and staff anticipate the permanent install by about August 2025, while temporary measures may allow some water production by May 2025.

Council member Kanopy moved approval of the Brown & Caldwell agreement; Council member Johnson seconded. The motion carried on voice vote.

Ending

Staff said work under the design agreement will proceed with test well construction and hydrogeologic testing; results from the tests will determine final equipment sizing and the sequence of remaining construction. Staff will return to council with test results and with timing for plant operations as installation progresses.