Water Treatment Plant

The new Prospect Lake Clean Water Center (PLCWC) is currently being constructed under a Public Private Partnership (P3) between the City and the "Project Company." The PLCWC is currently being commissioned, meaning it is being functionally tested, while construction is finalized.

The PLCWC will begin sending water to the Fiveash Water Treatment Plant for storage and distribution to the City's customers in September 2026.

Project Company is the term used in the Comprehensive Agreement to identify the private entity responsible for delivering the PLCWC project. Under the Public-Private Partnership (P3) structure, this entity is accountable for the facility's design, permitting, construction and operation.

The Project Company is comprised of Ridgewood Infrastructure, a U.S.-based investor in essential infrastructure, and IDE, a world-renowned designer and operator of advanced water treatment plants.

The Fiveash Water Treatment Plant, built in 1953 and expanded several times over the past 70 years, was not designed to current hurricane-force wind resistance standards and is vulnerable during extreme weather events. Its lime-softening technology cannot meet the City's goal of achieving fewer than five color units, which can result in a yellow tinge in the treated water.

In addition, most plant components are near the end of their useful life and require capital investment to remain operational. The existing technology is also ineffective at removing emerging contaminants such as PFAS and would require major upgrades to meet PFAS regulatory requirements.

Learn more about PFAS

The PLCWC is being constructed at the Prospect Wellfield, located roughly three miles from the existing Fiveash Water Treatment Plant. The Fiveash site does not have sufficient space to accommodate construction of a new facility.

In addition, the existing plant must remain fully operational throughout the construction period to ensure uninterrupted water service, making on-site replacement impossible.

The treatment infrastructure at Fiveash will be decommissioned. The facility will transition into a storage and distribution center, storing water produced by the PLCWC and pumping it directly into the City's water distribution system to serve customers.

The PLCWC is located within the Prospect Wellfield site. Prospect Wellfield is restricted to official City use due to critical infrastructure security requirements.

Customer rates directly support the infrastructure required to deliver safe, clean water. To fund critical modernizations like the Prospect Lake Clean Water Center, the City implemented a structured rate schedule.

Water and wastewater rates will see a 9% annual adjustment through 2027 to cover intensive infrastructure investments, before leveling off to a steady 5% annual adjustment beginning in 2028 to support ongoing operations.

Yes. Continuous regional coordination is a core priority. The City provides drinking water to multiple neighboring municipalities and large utilities across Broward County.

We are actively communicating with all our wholesale customers to coordinate the transition from the Fiveash Water Treatment Plant to the new PLCWC facility. This coordination ensures that municipal partners are fully aligned so that we can guarantee an uninterrupted water supply for the entire regional service area.

Yes. The new plant will operate quietly. A comprehensive noise study conducted during the design phase confirms that anticipated noise levels at the facility will easily meet City ordinances and blend into the existing background environment due to features such as built-in structural sound barriers and strategic equipment placement.

Yes.

View more information on the City's water quality

Yes. Project documents and related Commission presentations are available for public review on the City's project website.

Visit the Prospect Lake Clean Water Center project website

City customers may notice some slight variability in taste, temporary color or cloudiness during the transition from lime-softened water to membrane/ion exchange water in the last few months of 2026 until the PLCWC is fully transitioned into service.

The variability will not affect water safety.

Certain employees will remain at Fiveash to operate and maintain the tanks and high service pumps. Other employees are presently being trained to operate and maintain PLCWC.

The City will continue operations of the Peele-Dixie Membrane Plant, which provides treated water to the south part of the City, below Davie Boulevard.