$52 MILLION IN THE MAKING City celebrating Wastewater Treatment Plant completion
Ribbon-cutting ceremony planned at location Sept. 19
The City of Newcastle will mark the completion of its new wastewater treatment plant with a public grand opening and ribboncutting ceremony at noon on Friday, September 19, 2025. The event will take place at 1200 N.E. 16th Street in Newcastle, and is open to the public.
T he $52 million facility is one of the largest infrastructure investments in the city’s history. It replaces an aging treatment system and is designed to serve the long-term needs of Newcastle’s growing population.
With a treatment capacity of 1.5 million gallons per day, the new plant provides a more reliable, efficient, and environmentally responsible solution to the City’s wastewater management.
“The new plant is built for where we are now, and for where we’re headed,” said Mayor Karl Nail. “It’s not glamorous work, but it’s essential. This investment gives us a more reliable system, with cleaner results and more flexibility for the future.”
The system uses a modern biological treatment process with almost no moving parts in the water. Blowers, located in a dedicated building to reduce noise, supply air to the aeration equipment — a network of pipes in the treatment basins that circulate and oxygenate the water.
This process improves energy efficiency, lowers longterm maintenance costs, and enhances the removal of ammonia and nitrogen from the treated water.
“This facility gives us dependable performance with a simpler design,” said City Manager Kevin Self. “It’s easier to maintain, meets current regulatory requirements, and helps prepare the city for continued development.”
“Our engineering and construction partners have been great to work with throughout the process,” Self continued. “We’re also grateful to the City Council for staying focused on the long-term needs of the community, and to the Indian Health Service for helping make the project possible through grant support.”
The project was designed by Wall Engineering, led by Brandon Wall, P.E., and construction management was provided by Wynn Construction.
The City broke ground on November 13, 2023, and as the land was cleared and the first concrete was poured, the scale of the project quickly became clear. The size of the site — laid out for basins, buildings, and long runs of piping — made clear just how big a task this would be. Now, nearly two years later, that task is complete, and the new facility stands ready to serve the community.
The Newcastle Chamber of Commerce will lead the ribbon cutting as part of the event. Light refreshments will be served following the ceremony.
The public is invited to attend and learn more about what the City terms as an important step forward in Newcastle’s growth.
