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Bastrop council hears Reuse Engineering pitch for membrane wastewater plants that could shrink footprint and generate revenue
Summary
Reuse Engineering and partners presented membrane-based wastewater technology that the company says can reduce plant footprint and on-site civil costs, produce high-quality effluent and create sludge-receiving revenue streams; council asked about contaminants, costs, and timelines and directed staff to schedule more planning.
City leaders and utility staff on Dec. 17 heard a workshop presentation from Reuse Engineering, Trane Technologies and partners on membrane-based wastewater treatment that company representatives said can shrink plant footprint, lower total installed cost, and create new revenue through reclaimed water and sludge processing.
Trey Wozdorf (attorney, Hans Scarborough) introduced Reuse personnel, including company executives and technical staff. The presenter described membrane systems that use submerged membranes for water–solid separation, arguing the technology yields effluent that can meet stringent state limits and, with additional treatment, approach potable quality. The company provided example performance targets (typical lab thresholds cited in the presentation included total suspended solids <2 mg/L, biochemical oxygen demand <2 mg/L, total nitrogen <5 mg/L and phosphorus <1 mg/L) and said municipalities such as Farmersville, Texas, have adopted similar systems.
Reuse detailed potential revenue streams: returning reclaimed effluent for irrigation (purple-pipe distribution), charging for reuse meters, and operating a sludge-receiving station that could accept hauled sludge from nearby plants for a per-gallon fee. Company representatives said sludge could be dewatered into a dry cake and mixed with lime to create a marketable fertilizer product.
Council members asked about pharmaceuticals, PFAS and other chemical contaminants; Reuse said membrane pore-size and additional RO steps can address many compounds but some molecules may pass a single membrane stage and require added treatment or testing. The presenter emphasized daily front-end and effluent testing under TCEQ protocols and described maintenance cycles, membrane lifespans (10–15 years typical), and an estimated 12‑month installation timeline for a system the company proposed for Bastrop.
City staff and Corix (Texas Water Utilities) representatives noted the region’s growth and permitting complexities; staff said the proposed approach would not eliminate the need for master planning or an updated wastewater plan. Trane Technologies described procurement options (Omnia Partners cooperative) that could shorten procurement timelines and offer guaranteed maximum price contracting to limit change-order risk.
Council agreed to further study and requested a planning workshop with staff to review flows, capacity and timing for future council meetings and planning commissions.
