WATTS Conference- Direct Potable Reuse Project

City of Wichita Falls, Texas Water Resources

for a New Drought of Record

March 22, 2016

Water System Summary

• Population Served ~150,000

• Supply Reservoirs (95,000 acft. water rights)• Lake Arrowhead, Lake Kickapoo (fresh water) • Lake Kemp (brackish water)

• Water treatment plants• 66 MGD conventional treatment capacity• 10 MGD membrane treatment capacity

• Supply 15 wholesale customers• Surrounding cities• Water supply corporations• Red River Authority

Climatic Conditions 2011

• Temperatures• Average year - 28 days over 100 degrees• 2011 - 100 days over 100 degrees

• Precipitation• Average year - 28.5 inches of rainfall• 2011 - 13.5 inches

Drought Conditions 2011

October 2011

Wichita Falls

Conservation Measures

• 1395 days of water restrictions ( 3 yrs and 300 days)

2010 2011 2012 2013

Lakes at97.2%

Lakes at82.3% Lakes at

59.4%

Stage 1Drought

Watch 60%(8/15/11)

Lakes at49.8%

Stage 2Drought

Warning 50%(7/2/12)

Lakes at39.8%

Stage 3Drought

Emergency 40%(2/5/13)

• Conservation reduced consumption from 35 MGD to 11 MGD

Lakes at30%

Stage 4DroughtDisaster

30%(11/16/13)

Stage 5Drought Catastrophe 25%(5/18/14)

2014

Lakes at 25%

Actions Taken

• April 2012 staff began to revive 1999/2000 Reuse Project

• Staff met with Texas Commission on EnvironmentalQuality (TCEQ)

• New “Definitions” were established for reuse • Direct Potable Reuse (DPR)• Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR)

• “Guidelines” identified the level of treatment • Consultants were hired to evaluate long-term

reuse options• Staff developed an emergency reuse project (DPR)

Water Quality Analysis

• River Road WWTP effluent tested for 16 months for numerous regulated and non-regulated compounds

•Wastewater effluent met all 97 drinking water standards, with the exception ofnitrates, trihalomethanes, microbials(to be removed thru potable water treatment process)

Emergency DPR Project

• Preliminary Engineering Report• Build temporary pump station and pipeline to convey

7.5 MGD of treated effluent from RRWWTPto Cypress Microfiltration/Reverse Osmosis Plant

• Treat effluent thru both membrane systems• Blend water with raw lake water 50/50 ratio• Treat blended water thru conventional

treatment plant• Summarize level of treatment thru each process,

monitoring, SOP’s, alarms, shutdowns, testing frequency, etc











• Began construction on August 23, 2013• Began 75 days of Full Scale Verification testing

on January 27, 2014(Monitored and tested water at 42 different locations thru the treatment process)

• Received TCEQ approval for utilization on June 27, 2014

• Pumped water in distribution system on July 9, 2014• Project added 5 MGD of supply (1/2 of daily demand)

Emergency DPR Project(Summary)

• Project operated July 2014 – July 2015• Project saved over 1.8 billion gallons of water• No public protests or complaints• General acceptance of the water

• Engaged all media outlets• Engaged medical and educational profession

• County Health Board• Healthcare Coalition• Infectious Disease Specialist• Professor of Physical Chemistry• Professor of Geosciences

Permanent IPR Project

• Project requirements• Discharge permit from TCEQ

(Approved September 2014)• Improvements to River Road WWTP

(Bid January 2016)• Construction of pipeline and pump station

(Begin in January 2016)• Entire project completion ~January 2018 • Additional supply 8 – 16 MGD

Conclusions

• Drought supply • Direct Potable Reuse (Emergency Reuse)• Sustained city thru new drought of record

• Additional supply• Indirect Potable Reuse (Permanent Reuse)• 8 to 16 MGD

• Development of additional supplies based on Water Master Plan

• New surface water reservoir• Groundwater outside of local area

Questions / Discussion

Contact [email protected]

940-761-7477