Highland Village details chlorine conversions, planned well and waterline projects to boost supply and reduce wasted water
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Summary
Public works described a recurring chlorine-conversion program aimed at biofilm control that saved about 20 million gallons last year, a planned $1.2M waterline across the lake, a $1.9M AC waterline replacement tied to street phase 3, and a TCEQ-approved new well expected to replace the aging Lake Vista well with higher capacity.
Scott Christen, director of public works, gave a detailed overview of the city’s utilities work at the Jan. 8 town hall, covering disinfection practices, planned water infrastructure and near-term projects.
Christen said Highland Village has roughly 100 miles of buried water piping and about 5,500 metered connections. Utilities manage water production and distribution, wastewater collection and a regional water subscription for surface water.
On water quality, Christen described an ongoing chlorine-conversion program used to control biofilm in distribution piping. "So this year, we'll do it for another 3 weeks. It works great," he said, adding that the city estimated about 20,000,000 gallons were saved last year by reducing the need to dump water during flushing operations.
Planned capital work includes a $1,900,000 AC waterline replacement for streets in the Phase 3 area (Oak Street, Cedar, part of Edgewood, Gale Lane and Merriman) required by state mandates and scheduled before the Phase 3 street reconstruction. Christen said that project is mandated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Christen also described a $1,200,000 proposed waterline across the lake to reach north-island areas (Brooks Court/Palenault Park) and said the city has final engineering and TCEQ approval to construct a new well that will replace the Lake Vista well. He said the existing well produces around 250 gallons per minute and the new well is expected to produce roughly 1,000 gpm at about 2,000 feet depth; the 500,000-gallon storage tank will remain in use.
Christen noted temporary side effects that accompany chlorine conversion—slick feel, chlorine odor and occasional cloudy (air-bubble) water—but emphasized the program’s benefits in water quality and reduced waste.
Next steps for these utility projects include finalizing engineering, bidding and awarding contracts; Christen said residents can review CIP materials on the city website and watch for QR codes at construction sites to link to project pages.
