McBaine Water Treatment Plant Improvement Project FAQ

The final sale of the water bond from the voter-approved 2018 Water Ballot Initiative is expected in October, a milestone that means City of Columbia Water & Light can move forward with much-anticipated improvements at the McBaine Water Treatment Plant.

With the sale of the bond, an adjusted customer base charge is scheduled to go into effect beginning with the first billing cycle in November 2023.

Residential customers will see a $2 per month base charge increase from $10 to $12. Commercial customer base charges increase proportionally based on the customer’s water meter size.

The Columbia City Council approved the base charge increase as part of the Fiscal Year 2023 budget process, but it was contingent upon the sale of the second half of the bonds from the 2018 Water Ballot Initiative. Because Water & Light is viewed as a single entity for the purpose of bond ratings, the City did not pursue the sale of the bond until the Electric Utility Cost of Service Study was completed.

The base charge will go into effect beginning with the first billing cycle in November 2023. 

The base charge increase is necessary for Water & Light to fund debt payments from the 2023 water bond sale for water utility capital improvements. The bond was approved by voters for Water Utility capital improvements, including funding for upgrades to the McBaine Water Treatment Plant.

Improvements will meet near-term water-quality goals and capacity needs in addition to establishing long-range water-quality goals informed by treatment costs and benefits and are anticipated to include the following:

• Restoration of several treatment processes.

• Replacement of equipment, such as aerators, softening basin mechanisms and process instrumentation.

• Modification of filters to meet federal water clarity goals.

• Addition of recarbonation to the softening process to maintain the pH levels.

• Automation and controls of the Water Treatment Plant and distribution operations.

The $43 million Water Ballot Initiative was approved by voters in August 2018 that allowed Water & Light to sell bonds for the purpose of maintaining and upgrading the City’s water infrastructure.

The October 2023 bond sale will fund the McBaine Water Treatment Plant improvement project. This project will restore the plant’s capacity to treat 32 million gallons of water per day and will include rehabilitation and replacement projects that will enhance the performance and extend the life of this critical facility.

Other projects that will benefit from the bonds include water main replacement and relocation, pump station upgrades and well platform improvements.

These projects will provide a variety of benefits to Columbia Water & Light customers, including:

• Continuing to meet customer expectations of reliable, safe and affordable water service.

• Restoring previous water treatment capacity.

• Enhancing water treatment and distribution operational controls and efficiency.

• Improving finished water quality using existing treatment processes.

• Establishing long-range water-quality goals informed by treatment costs and benefits.

This project will provide a variety of benefits to Columbia Water & Light customers, including:

• Continuing to meet customer expectations of reliable, safe and affordable water service.
• Restoring previous water treatment capacity.
• Enhancing water treatment and distribution operational controls and efficiency.
• Improving finished water quality using existing treatment processes.
• Establishing long-range water-quality goals informed by treatment costs and benefits.

Improvement designs for the McBaine Water Treatment Plant began with data collection and field surveys to establish and confirm information within the facility. Columbia Water & Light and HDR have completed final engineering and design, and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources has approved the permit application.

Upon the final sale of the bond, Water & Light will advertise for bids with a goal of starting construction in the summer of 2024.

The McBaine WTP was built in 1970, with substantial upgrades and/or expansions in 1994 and 2007. Some equipment in the facility is nearing the end of its useful life and must be replaced. While the McBaine WTP has a rated capacity of 32 million gallons per day (MGD), it only has the ability to reliably treat 24 MGD. Additionally, the City’s 2015 Long Range Water System Study found that there is insufficient treatment capacity at the McBaine WTP to meet anticipated future demands within the study planning horizon (2033). This project will restore treatment capacity to meet current demands more reliably and accommodate anticipated demand within a planning horizon to be established with routine tracking of demand trends.

When water arrives at the McBaine WTP, the water withdrawn from the Missouri River alluvial aquifer is exposed to air to oxidize it, which reduces levels of iron, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, which are naturally found in groundwater supplies. Next, water is softened by adding lime to the oxidized waters. Water softening removes about 50% of hardness-causing minerals from the water, which reduces scale formed in water heaters and pipes and allows you to use less laundry detergent. Once softening has occurred, water goes through a filtration process to remove particles that carry over from the softening process. Finally, our water is treated through disinfection to prevent disease-causing microorganisms. Once our water has gone through these four steps, it’s ready for you to drink! Click here for more detailed information about the current water treatment process.

This initial phase of the McBaine WTP Improvement Project will not fundamentally change the current water treatment process, but the rehabilitation and replacement of key equipment and facilities will provide much greater operational controls and efficiencies, enhance treatment performance and reliability and provide higher-quality water for Columbia Water & Light customers.

Since the 1970s, the City’s groundwater supply and the McBaine WTP have provided citizens of Columbia abundant and affordable drinking water that meets all federal Safe Drinking Water Act requirements. Columbia’s water is tested more frequently and thoroughly than is required by law. The well water is monitored for the possibility of contamination, and many recommendations from the 2013 Source Water Protection Plan have been implemented. More than 4,000 tests are run each year on samples at the McBaine WTP and from more than 30 locations throughout the City’s water system. Columbia’s drinking water meets all quality standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. As part of the McBaine WTP Improvement Project, the Columbia Water & Light team evaluated alternative treatment processes and practices to understand the costs and benefits of going beyond current regulatory requirements to reach higher water-quality goals in the future. During this evaluation, Columbia Water & Light considered enhanced treatment to remove currently unregulated contaminants while meeting Columbia’s targets for currently regulated contaminants.

For detailed information, please see the City of Columbia 2022 Annual Water Quality Report and the 2013 Source Water Protection Plan. You can also view the City of Columbia 2020 Water Quality Report on the Department of Natural Resources website.

The City works hard to keep water rates affordable. In August 2018, Columbia voters approved Proposition 1, which funds capital improvements for the water system, so Columbia will continue to provide quality water service. The 2018 bond issue provides the funding necessary to make the McBaine WTP Improvements as well as several water distribution improvements, including the West Ash Pump Station Improvements, establishment of a new Southeast Pressure Zone, Southwest Elevated Storage, and various water main replacements and relocations. Revenue bonds are the fastest way to make improvements with the least impact on rates. This funding strategy allows user payments to be spread over an extended period. Additionally, future users who benefit from the improvements will help pay for them through future water revenues. Proposition 1 authorized the City to bond nearly $43 million to fund these important projects. Of that amount, approximately $23 million was dedicated to the McBaine WTP Improvement Project.

Columbia Water & Light has conducted several studies over the last decade to evaluate water supply, McBaine WTP rehabilitation needs and potential upgrades, potential enhanced treatment alternatives and systemwide needs. These studies will provide the foundation for the McBaine WTP Improvement Project and alternative treatment analysis. These studies include: 

• 2012 Final McBaine WTP Preliminary Design Report (2018 Update)
• 2013 Source Water Protection Plan
• 2015 Long Range Water System Study
• 2016 McBaine WTP Condition Assessment
• 2017 Integrated Water Resource Plan