As construction of the Golden Triangle Polymer (GTP) facility gets closer, one major infrastructure upgrade has West Orange community leaders excited. In cooperation with the Orange County Water Control & Improvement District No. 2 (OCWCID2) and the city of West Orange, Golden Triangle Polymers is helping make possible a long-needed expansion and upgrade to the community’s wastewater treatment facility, according to company officials.
The total cost of the upgrade is $19.8 million, with GTP funding $13.2 million or 70% of the total cost. GTP has agreed to pay for all construction, engineering and other fees. The remaining portion of the funding comes from federal grants, the city of West Orange and OCWCID2.
According to GTP, OCWCID2 provides potable water to approximately 1,600 customers, and most are residential homes in West Orange. However, with GTP coming online in early 2026 with more than 500 employees, the need for potable water greatly increased.
The new facility uses two types of water in its operations — raw water from the Sabine River and potable water from OCWCID2. Potable water is safe for human consumption and GTP plans to use more than 109 million gallons per year for things like safety showers, restrooms and kitchens, making them OCWCID2’s largest customer.
That need led GTP to support upgrading the community’s water facility on Western Avenue, boosting its capacity from 1.22 million gallons of water (MGD) a day to 1.52 MGD. The new design also includes a state-of-the-art Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) system and meets stringent TCEQ Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) discharge standards. That means cleaner discharge, stronger flood resilience, and room to grow — not just for industry, but for homes and businesses, too.
In 1987, the last upgrade was completed to the OCWCID2 wastewater treatment facility. The old facility had limitations that restricted growth. With the expanded capacity, the area can now better handle stormwater and support new development.
“This is the first major upgrade we’re making to our wastewater treatment system in over 40 years,” said April Lombardo, office manager for OCWCID2. “This upgrade will increase our permitted capacity, allowing for new residential and commercial growth in West Orange.”
Increased capacity will also reduce backups and overflows during major weather events.
GTP is contributing $13.258 million to the project — more than two-thirds of the total cost. This also includes all costs for early design, permitting, and environmental work, helping move the project forward faster. The rest of the funding comes from the West Orange’s Texas Community Block Development Grant, WCID, and an Economic Development Administration (EDA) Grant.
“This project would not have happened if Golden Triangle Polymers hadn’t come to the area and needed our services for its new facility. Our residents in West Orange will benefit from it, too,” said Mayor Randy Branch.
Construction began in March 2024, with completion expected by April 2026.
Once finished, the facility will not only support GTP’s water needs but also deliver reliable service to hundreds of local homes and businesses.
