Boise’s plans to build a major new industrial recycled water facility in southeast Ada County have been put on hold indefinitely, as soaring construction and labor costs pushed the project’s estimated price tag to $700 million — more than ten times what it was projected to cost a decade ago. City officials are now redirecting resources toward upgrading the existing Lander Street Water Renewal Facility, a structure that has been in continuous operation since 1950.
A Price Tag That Priced Itself Out
When the city of Boise first studied the feasibility of a new industrial recycled water facility, cost estimates came in between $50 million and $70 million. That figure, generated roughly ten years ago, has ballooned to approximately $700 million in the current construction environment — a stark reminder of how dramatically the cost of large infrastructure projects has risen across the Treasure Valley and beyond.
Boise Public Works Director Steve Burgos said the financial reality made it impossible to move forward without placing a significant burden on residents. “With the affordability concerns that we know citizens are experiencing, we decided to go back and talk to the Mayor and council and make the recommendation: let’s just pause this project for now,” Burgos said in a public statement.
City officials stress this is not a permanent cancellation. The recycled water facility project may be revisited in the future, but for now, funding earmarked for the program is being redirected toward modernizing infrastructure that already exists and already serves Boise residents every day.
The Lander Street Facility: Boise’s Workhorse Since 1950
The Lander Street Water Renewal Facility has been treating Boise’s wastewater for more than 75 years. Along with a second facility, it runs around the clock and collectively handles roughly 30 million gallons of water per day. That treated water is then returned to the Boise River at a high quality standard.
Burgos described the scope of the city’s daily water treatment operations plainly: “We treat about 30 million gallons a day to a really high level, and then we put it back in the Boise River.”
Phase two upgrades to the Lander Street facility are now underway, with completion targeted for 2029. When finished, those upgrades are expected to expand the facility’s capacity by an additional 5 million gallons per day — a meaningful increase that will help Boise keep pace with the population growth the Treasure Valley has experienced in recent years.
Investing in a facility that is already operational and proven represents a more fiscally conservative path than breaking ground on an entirely new $700 million project. For Ada County taxpayers, that distinction matters.
Impact on Ada County Residents and Ratepayers
Boise’s water infrastructure decisions affect not just city residents but the broader Ada County community, which depends on the Boise River corridor for agriculture, recreation, and municipal water supply. Keeping treated water discharge at a high quality level protects downstream users and the broader watershed.
The indefinite pause on the southeast recycled water facility means industrial users in that part of the city will not gain access to a new recycled water supply source in the near term. However, city officials have indicated that the reallocation of funds toward existing facilities will ensure service quality and capacity are not compromised during the delay.
The decision also fits a broader pattern across the region, where municipalities are grappling with the rising cost of large infrastructure projects. For more on how surging energy and infrastructure demands are reshaping the region’s planning decisions, see our earlier coverage on Pacific Northwest utilities turning to natural gas as data center power demand rises.
Ada County residents who have previously followed this project can also review the earlier report on Boise placing the Southeast Water Recycling Facility on hold for additional context on how this decision developed.
What Comes Next
Phase two of the Lander Street Water Renewal Facility upgrades is expected to be complete by 2029. That project is now the city’s primary focus for water infrastructure investment. City officials have left the door open to revisiting the recycled water facility concept in future budget cycles, depending on how construction costs and city finances evolve.
Residents interested in Boise’s water infrastructure planning can contact the Boise Public Works Department for updates on the Lander Street project timeline and future recycled water planning efforts.