The North Texas Municipal Water District, Allen, Texas, is upgrading its Wilson Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant to service a growing population while maintaining environmental compliance.
The district provides wastewater services to 24 communities and 1.4 million residents of North Texas. Its wastewater system consists of more than 226 miles of large-diameter pipelines, 23 lift stations and 13 wastewater treatment plants to convey and treat about 163-plus million gallons of wastewater per day. With a service area projected to double by 2050 to more than 3 million residents, the district maintains its wastewater treatment plants to meet the needs of one of the fastest-growing regions in the country.
The 64-mgd Wilson Creek RWWTP is the largest plant in the regional system and the backbone of the district’s treatment capabilities.
As part of the district’s capital improvements plan, and in alignment with a recently completed Wilson Creek RWWTP master plan, the project includes replacing mechanisms and evaluating the covers of primary clarifiers, replacing aging aeration blowers and expanding solids dewatering. Ultraviolet disinfection capacity will increase by utilizing higher intensity UV lamps and increasing the flow through three channels, allowing the plant to reliably meet discharge permit requirements. Furthermore, a new aeration control building will house electrical gear to serve the new blowers and provide energy-efficient blower control for the aeration process.
A key design element is the sequencing of construction activities to facilitate continuous operations during site works.
Once complete, the upgrades and replacement of aging equipment will improve plant reliability, optimize process performance and energy efficiency and increase flexibility of the plant. Moreover, the improvements will help the plant meet current wastewater regulatory permit requirements.
Recently underway, the detailed design and engineering of the upgrades is being led by prime consultant Brown and Caldwell, Walnut Creek, California.
“We applaud the district for taking proactive steps to ensure its customers continue to receive exemplary levels of service,” says Adam Evans, Brown and Caldwell principal-in-charge. “Our highly qualified team is honored to bring proven and new technologies to transform the facility in alignment with the district’s long-term goals.”
Following completion of the Wilson Creek’s design phase by November 2023, construction close-out of the upgrades is scheduled for March 2026.
