Riverbend secures $200 million loan for treatment plant

NEW BOSTON, Texas - Riverbend Water Resources District has secured a loan of $199.7 million to finance major improvements to area water infrastructure, including a new treatment plant.

Plans are to build the new plant on TexAmericas Center property in Bowie County. It will replace the Texarkana Water Utilities treatment on New Boston Road, providing increased treatment capacity of 25 million gallons a day. Funding for decommissioning the current plant is included in the loan.

Funding for a new water intake system at Wright Patman Lake and transmission line from the lake to the plant is also included in the loan.

"Securing funding for this needed project has been a major point of focus for Riverbend. 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," Riverbend CEO Kyle Dooley said in a news release.

The Texas Water Development Board on Wednesday approved the loan through its Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.

"The District could save approximately $4,500,000 over the life of the loan by using the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund," a TWDB news release stated.

Riverbend is a locally controlled regional water district created by state legislation in 2009 to protect, conserve and manage the area's water resources.

The 17 member entities Riverbend serves include Annona, Atlanta, Avery, DeKalb, Hooks, Leary, Maud, Nash, New Boston, Redwater, Texarkana, Wake Village, TexAmericas Center and Central Bowie County Water Supply Corporation, as well as Bowie, Cass and Red River counties.

"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," Riverbend Board Chair Sonja Yates Hubbard said.

In June, the Texarkana, Texas, City Council approved a contract for Riverbend to manage the city's water rights, without selling or surrendering them.

The city agreed to let Riverbend use and administer water rights for the benefit of Texarkana, supporting its mission to continually evaluate the short and long-term regional water supply and service needs and to advocate for the region's needs at the state and federal level.

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