Water Purification Plant Division
History and Long Term Plans
HISTORY
The original Water Purification Plant designed to treat 12 million gallons per day (MGD) was completed in April of 1970 at a cost of 2.8 million dollars. In 1984, an Ammonia feed system was installed to comply with the Texas Department of Health (TDH) regulations for preventing the formation of Trihalomethanes. A Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system, used to control the Paul Davis Well Field and Pump Stations from the Water Purification Plant, was installed in 1986.
New construction and existing plant renovations began in 1989 and were completed in early 1991. The Water Purification Plant capacity was increased to 32 MGD at a construction cost of approximately 10.6 million dollars. Construction of a 94 MG Raw Water Reservoir was completed in late 1991. Construction was completed in late February 1995 on the seven mile pipeline connecting the Lake Ivie pipeline and Terminal Reservoir to the new Raw Water Reservoir. We started receiving water from Lake Ivie on March 9, 1995.
Due to the increased housing development in the plant area, in 2000 Freese and Nichols Consulting Engineers designed a chlorine containment system for the plant.
Two additional filters were constructed in 2003, along with replacement of some original valves that were no longer performing as designed.
PRESENT
Currently, 18 personnel are employed at the Water Purification Plant. A maximum flow of 15 MGD may be delivered under our 1966 contract with CRMWD with a maximum of 20 MGD additional available from the Lake Ivie pipeline. CRMWD has recently revised the safe yield on all their reservoirs.
FUTURE
We are treating up to 32 MGD. Additional maintenance is required, due to our increased plant load and equipment aging. Continual enhancements in laboratory equipment allow us to monitor water quality to a higher level than in the past. As water quality regulations are made constantly stricter, plant operation must steadily improve.
The Plant could be expanded to treat additional surface supplies. However, viable reservoir sites in West Texas are difficult to locate and develop.
Plant upgrades will be constructed during 2007-2010 to meet new arsenic regulations.
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