Garney And HDR Deliver $43M Expansion Of De Soto Water Treatment Plant Powering Panasonic EV Battery Facility

Garney, in partnership with HDR, has completed a $43M expansion of The City of De Soto’s Water Treatment Plant, restoring an 80-year-old facility and increasing its capacity to 8 million gallons per day (MGD) to support Panasonic Energy’s new electric vehicle battery factory and the City’s long-term growth.

“This $43M upgrade, fully funded by Panasonic, is more than just an expansion for a single company—it's a transformative investment in De Soto's future that will benefit every resident, without the use of a single public dollar," said City Administrator Mike Brungardt. "It significantly modernizes our water infrastructure, dramatically increasing our capacity and ensuring a reliable, safe water supply for our community for decades to come.

The City selected Garney as the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) and HDR as the lead engineer. Using this delivery method, they brought the expanded plant online in just 14 months using early bid packaging, advance procurement of long-lead equipment, and prefabrication of major process units and buildings. The added capacity supports Panasonic’s new 32-gigawatt-hour (GWh) electric vehicle battery facility–expected to employ up to 4,000 people–while also meeting the community’s ongoing residential and commercial needs.

“From new filtration and pumping to upgraded controls, De Soto now has a future-ready backbone for the Panasonic facility and the surrounding community,” said Bill Morehead, Project Manager at Garney. “This project is proof that smart investment in water unlocks economic opportunity.”

The scope included a new gravity filter building, chemical feed and administrative facilities, an additional softening basin with a lime silo system, two 0.5 MG clearwells, new transfer and high service pump stations, expanded residuals lagoons, and comprehensive electrical and SCADA upgrades. A key decision to construct a new filter facility rather than renovate the existing one reduced risk, minimized disruption to ongoing operations, improved crew safety, and provided a more accurate financial forecast for the City.

“The expansion is a true example of how partnerships can build resiliency and reliability into an area’s water network,” said Charlie Sievert, HDR Client Services Manager for Missouri and Kansas. “Delivering on all those complexities in a short timeframe created some best practices for how local municipalities and companies can serve our communities.”

The upgraded plant positions De Soto to meet urgent industrial demand while ensuring reliable, redundant capacity for residents and businesses, providing resiliency and room for decades of growth.

About Garney
Garney is the national leader in water and wastewater infrastructure. Since 1961, Garney has been committed to delivering clean, safe drinking water and protecting public health through essential water and wastewater systems. Garney specializes in self-performing construction services for water and wastewater pipelines, treatment facilities, pumping stations, water storage tanks, and industrial/heavy civil projects through conventional and collaborative delivery methods for municipal, federal, and private sector clients. As a 100% employee-owned company with 18 offices and 2,500 employee-owners nationwide, Garney is committed to advancing the future of water and wastewater infrastructure. At the core of Garney’s work is its guiding purpose: Building Sustainable Futures with the World’s Most Precious Resources – Water & People.

About HDR
HDR is a 100% employee-owned professional services firm. Founded over a century ago to bring electricity to a changing world, we are now a global company specializing in engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services. Our success in built and natural environments continues as we collaborate to solve our clients’ and communities’ most complex challenges.

About the City of De Soto
The City of De Soto, Kansas, is located in the northeast portion of the state in Johnson County. The city is home to about 6,400 residents and boasts an award-winning school district. In 2022, Panasonic announced it would build a $4B electric-vehicle battery manufacturing facility in De Soto, the largest economic development project in the state’s history. De Soto is also home to the North American headquarters of Huhtamaki, makers of Chinet, and Merck Animal Health.