Background

The existing water treatment and distribution facilities and wastewater collection infrastructure were operating at or near capacity, limiting the City’s ability to expand its systems to unserved or underserved areas. Residents in those outlying areas did not have access to the water distribution system and had to rely on water wells, bottled water, water hauling services, drainage and irrigation ditches, and their neighbors for their water supply. Likewise, those residents typically used septic tanks to dispose of their wastewater, as the collection system was limited to residents in the city. To better serve its existing customers and provide the capacity to offer service to residents in unserved areas, the City needed to expand its existing water and wastewater infrastructure, in particular because a project designed to connect 3,885 nearby residents to the water and wastewater systems was in development with funding from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB).

Scope

Water system improvements consisted of installing approximately 18,350 linear feet of 12-inch polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe; modifying the existing water pumping station to connect the new water main and install a vertical, high-service pump; increasing the capacity of the water treatment plant from 3.0 to 4.5 million gallons a day (mgd); and constructing a 500,000-gallon elevated storage tank.

Improvements to the existing wastewater collection system included construction of a new lift station and modifications to an existing lift station, as well as the installation of a pressure main using 2,640 linear feet of 6-inch PVC pipe and 1,320 linear feet of 12-inch gravity sewer lines.

Benefits

The project provided the capacity needed to allow the City to expand its water and wastewater systems into unserved areas, ensuring safe and reliable drinking water services for existing and new customers, as well as the proper disposal of their wastewater.  The project also supported economic development in the area, thereby improving the quality of life, both environmentally and economically, for local residents, especially those with low incomes.