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Public works outlines wastewater capacity, ongoing repairs and resilience upgrades
Summary
Public Works reported the wastewater treatment plant is permitted for 12.4 MGD and averaging 5.9 MGD with ongoing line-replacement phases, lift-station rebuilds and new trailer-mounted generators for emergency resilience; commissioners pressed staff for details on SCADA data and asset-management practices.
Public Works presented a detailed wastewater and sewer briefing to the Texas City Commission on June 17, outlining system capacity, recent repairs and a multi-year line-replacement program.
Jack Harrelson told commissioners the treatment plant is permitted for 12.4 million gallons per day (MGD) and is currently treating about 5.9 MGD on average; the system maintains roughly 250 miles of gravity sewer mains, about 45 miles of force mains, 4,200 manholes and 52 lift stations. Treated effluent is tested, chlorinated and dechlorinated before discharge to Moses Lake.
Harrelson reported the plant produces approximately 2,000 metric tons of sludge per reporting period (about 722 loads) currently routed to landfill, and described completed projects including replacement of discharge piping and odor-control improvements at Station 30 and full rebuilds at lift stations 7 and 15. The city budgets roughly $1.5 million to $1.75 million per year for line replacements; phase 24 is finishing and phase 25 is budgeted at about $1.5 million.
To improve winter and emergency resilience, the utility obtained four trailer-mounted generators to move to lift stations as needed; staff noted these units can be repurposed for other city uses when not required at a lift station. Harrelson praised the utility team for routine maintenance and emergency work.
Commissioners probed asset-management practices and SCADA data retention. Harrelson said the department uses a combination of time-based planning, repair-driven prioritization and SCADA monitoring; Corbin Ballast described that alarms and records are stored in SCADA but staff were unsure whether a separate historian exists or how to retrieve archived records and committed to clarifying that capability. Commissioners also asked about spare parts and rebuild practices; Harrelson said the city keeps economically sensible spares and outsources full pump rebuilds.
What's next: Staff will follow up on whether the SCADA system includes a separate historian and provide additional detail on asset-management practices and spare-parts inventories as requested.
