WEAT Municipal WWTP of the Year Category 1

MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OF THE YEAR Category 1 ( less than 1 MGD)

...acknowledges a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Texas that has consistently exhibited outstanding performance of daily activities beyond the normal call of duty.

Fair Oaks Ranch WWTP City of Fair Oaks Ranch

The Fair Oaks Ranch Wastewater Treatment is a 0.5 MGD, activated sludge treatment process with a continuous loop reactor. The influent collection system includes approximately 2,100 residential connections and combines direct gravity feed and six lift stations.

Treatment begins at the influent bar screen, continues to an in-yard lift station, at which point it is pumped to a 350,000 gallon CLR with two aeration turbines. There are two secondary clarifiers and a chlorine contact chamber where effluent is treated with chlorine gas. Effluent reuse water is then pumped to two golf courses within the city and used for irrigation. Sludge is disposed of via wet truck hauling or the drying beds on-site for dry hauling. The current permit was renewed in-house by the current assistant director, who established a 10-year permit term with TCEQ. The utility currently has a multistep safety program that includes weekly safety meetings, facility, equipment, and vehicle safety inspections, and third-party training. The utility wastewater department has not sustained any loss time incidents in the past year due to the utilities’ emphasis on safety training. Currently, the utility has a staff of 9 operators: one Class A wastewater operator, one Class B wastewater operator, and seven Class C wastewater operators. Although the plant only requires a C operator, the utility encourages employees to pursue the highest level of licensing. The City of Fair Oaks Ranch Wastewater Plant has a fascinating history as it was once privately owned. The city purchased the utility in 1998 and took over ownership and operations in 2000. In the past 21 years of ownership, the utility has maintained an impeccable operation record. The plant has passed all TCEQ inspections. The plant received only one NOV in its history due to odor complaints. The utility went above and beyond to remedy the issue by installing various odor control measures.

Under the city’s ownership, the plant has also gone through multiple upgrades to improve its operation. However, like any other wastewater plant, it is still playing catch-up compared to most water operations. During the 2021 winter storm, staff, the plant, and the collection system continued to operate without service interruption. Staff stayed and lived on-site throughout the winter storm from February 14 to February 19, 2021. Thanks to staff being on site, they could catch problems before they became significant issues, such as pump freezing, power loss, salting walkways and driveways for access, and prepared by setting up backup generators and emergency diesel pumps when needed. The staff’s sacrifice of being away from home and family was not easy; however, the city and its residents greatly appreciated it.