On Tuesday, the Amarillo City Council received a sobering update on the condition and future of the city’s two aging wastewater treatment facilities—Hollywood Road and River Road.
Assistant City Manager and Public Infrastructure Director Donny Hooper delivered the update, outlining the urgent need for replacement of the Hollywood Road Wastewater Treatment Plant, which was heavily damaged during record flooding in June 2023. The facility, built in 1963, has cost the city more than $4 million in repairs and emergency maintenance since the flooding.
Hooper said replacing the Hollywood Road plant is no longer optional.
“The only path forward that we can find is to replace Hollywood Road,” Hooper told the council.
Aging Infrastructure Under Pressure
The Hollywood Road facility was originally built to handle 4.5 million gallons per day (MGD). Subsequent expansions in 1977 and 1995 brought its capacity to 12 MGD. Today, it operates at 75% capacity and cannot be shut down for extended maintenance without risking service disruptions.
“The flow never stops,” Hooper emphasized.
Amarillo's other treatment facility, the River Road Wastewater Treatment Plant, is even older. Built in 1922 and expanded multiple times, its current capacity is 16 MGD. Like Hollywood Road, River Road is also running near its limit and is considered to be at the end of its functional life.
Regulatory Pressure Mounting
According to Hooper, both facilities are subject to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's (TCEQ) "75/90 Rule." If a plant reaches 75% of its design capacity for three consecutive months, the city must begin planning for expansion. At 90%, the city must seek state permission to proceed with upgrades or replacement.
“We know we’re going to hit 90%,” Hooper warned.
Planning for Growth, Not Just Repairs
A cost-benefit analysis conducted by engineering firm Kimley-Horn and Associates confirmed that replacing the Hollywood Road plant—not expanding it—is the most viable long-term solution. The new facility, dubbed “Hollywood Road II,” is slated to break ground in 2027. It will be designed to support the city’s projected population growth to 253,000 by 2050—an increase of roughly 45,000 residents.
If all goes according to plan, the new facility could be operational within five years of breaking ground. Hooper noted the existing site has enough land for a new plant, one that can meet the city's needs for the next 50 years.
Funding the Future
City Manager Grayson Path was frank about the financial implications of the proposed infrastructure overhaul.
“There’s not really any free money out there,” Path said. “So we’re looking at bonds or low-interest loans. That all equates to debt.”
The council is currently considering a $750,000 agreement with Kimley-Horn to conduct a similar condition assessment for the River Road facility. That plant, which is more than a century old, will need to remain operational at least until the new Hollywood Road facility is completed.
Hooper noted that the estimated $2–$3 billion price tag covers the full cost of constructing a new facility at Hollywood Road and upgrading River Road if necessary.
“This is definitely a sticker shock number,” Hooper acknowledged, but stressed that proactive investment now will avoid far costlier breakdowns in the future.
What’s Next?
The city has already taken steps by completing a preliminary engineering report and cost-benefit analysis for Hollywood Road. The next milestone will be the planning and design phase for the new facility, followed by public input and the securing of funding sources.
.jpg)
