The City of Arvada has selected and approved the purchase of a site for a new water treatment plant.

The replacement for the Arvada Water Treatment Plant will be located west of Highway 93 and West 66th Parkway at 6809 State Highway 93 — just west of the Ralston Water Treatment Plant, according to a news release from the city.

The city is purchasing the property for $5.73 million. The project has a total estimated cost of $315 million, including land, design, construction and infrastructure needed to connect to the existing system.

The new plant, which is scheduled to begin construction next year, will replace the current plant that is nearing the end of its “useful life,” according to the city.

The previous plant was built in 1979 and was created for seasonal use. While the city did look into rebuilding on the same site, the size and price remained negating factors.

Rebuilding on the existing site “would not resolve design challenges or resilience concerns, including the risks associated with being located in the inundation zone of two dams,” the city said.

Cost effectiveness and preservation of open space were the main factors when deciding on a new location, which included community engagement with over 1,500 interactions with an online forum and feedback from more than 150 participants in 2023, according to the release.

The new site will provide minimum disruption to natural views, more space and elevation that enables water to be delivered by gravity to most of the city, increasing resilience with fewer pump stations.

The new site is set to last “decades,” the city said.

“As Arvada continues to focus on being adaptable and future ready, ensuring safe, reliable water for our community remains a top priority,” Director of Infrastructure Jacqueline Rhoades said in the release. “This land purchase marks a key milestone in our commitment to modernizing critical infrastructure while planning responsibly for decades ahead.”

The plant is set to be complete and operational by 2030 and is funded by bonds supported by customer rates, fees and developer-paid system development charges — not by general tax dollars.