The Wichita Water Works, a $500 million water treatment plant, was initially set to be fully operational in early 2025. However, due to various factors, including mechanical failures, drought conditions, and delays in testing, the plant’s opening has been postponed. Despite these setbacks, the City of Wichita remains committed to ensuring the plant’s completion and has provided updates on its progress. As of May 2025, the city anticipates the plant to be operational by the end of the year, with the understanding that a project of this magnitude and complexity must be executed correctly.
What You’ll Learn
The Wichita Water Works plant is behind schedule
The plant has encountered several setbacks, including a six-month delay and cost overruns of tens of millions of dollars due to drought conditions in south-central Kansas. The drought has hindered performance testing, as the lack of water availability has made it challenging to conduct the necessary tests. Wichita experienced stage 2 drought conditions, with Cheney Reservoir’s water levels dropping to some of the lowest levels in 50 years.
The city has had to push back the deadline for “final completion” multiple times. Initially, April 1 was set as the latest deadline, but that date has since passed, and the plant is still not ready. City officials attributed the delay to the contractors’ inability to produce “spec water” that meets safe drinking water standards.
The plant is now expected to be fully operational by the end of 2025. In the meantime, the city has paused testing due to mechanical failures discovered in the clarifiers, which are essential for removing solid particles and enhancing water quality. Despite the delays, the plant is designed to be a state-of-the-art facility, delivering up to 120 million gallons of safe, clean drinking water per day and serving more than 500,000 Kansans…