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Weatherford reports improved GAC performance; phases 2–4 of water plant expansion move forward
Summary
City staff reported near‑non‑detect geosmin levels after full use of four GAC contactors and outlined delivery and GMP schedules for phases 2–4 of the water purification plant expansion, including planned bond issuance for project funding.
Rick Schafer, Water Utilities staff, updated the municipal utility board on granular activated carbon (GAC) performance and the multi‑phase expansion of Weatherford’s water purification plant.
Schafer said the city began full‑scale use of four new GAC contactors in January and that laboratory testing over the past 2½ months has shown virtually non‑detect finished‑water geosmin concentrations (the lab method’s non‑detect threshold cited in the presentation was 0.38 nanograms per liter). "Over the last 2 and a half months, we're seeing 97, 98% removal in that geosmin level," he said. He explained that Trident GAC media installed in 2019 provides less contact time and that the new contactors — which have longer contact time and operate on pretreated water — are delivering markedly better taste‑and‑odor results.
Schafer highlighted factors that affect GAC effectiveness, including contact time and media life; he said staff plan to replace some spent Trident media now that the contactors are online. He also described planned improvements in stage 2 (addition of a rapid mix vault and upstream coagulation) that should improve Trident performance even before media replacement.
On project schedule and procurement, Schafer reported the board previously approved GMP1 and GMP2; long‑lead electrical equipment is scheduled for delivery in February 2026 and the new filters are slated for delivery in October of this year. GMP3 is in final design, expected to be advertised in May and returned to the board for approval in July; the GMP2 approval included a $3,000,000 scope that will be included in the GMP3 bid package to mitigate tariff impacts. Preconstruction services and contracts authorized to date total just over $29,000,000, and the city will issue bonds for project funding with the CFO evaluating cash‑flow timing and amount.
Schafer concluded by noting staff will continue reporting quarterly on expansion progress and called for any board questions on the technical updates.
