Two 100,000-gallon storage tanks, where water is chlorinated prior to being pumped to the paper mill.
Reducing West Monroe’s Groundwater Needs Through Reuse
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16 | MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
Terry Emory: I started with the City of West Monroe in August 1994, somewhat accidentally. I was between jobs and took a part-time position with the city doing tasks like data entry, environmental paperwork, and discharge monitoring reports. Then the city had somebody leave and needed a class 4 operator. They asked me to take the tests, and I passed them and got the position. In 2004, the previous superintendent left the city, and I was promoted to environmental quality manager. I run the water treatment plant and the sewage treatment plant and handle any kind of environmental permit that the city has. Joshua Dill: Does the City of West Monroe Public Works Department provide all the water services for the city? Terry Emory: We provide potable water only to the city of West Monroe, but our wastewater treatment plant and the Sparta Reuse Facility handle wastewater not only for the city, but also for West Ouachita Sewer District Number 5, which covers the most heavily populated area of West Ouachita Parish. We provide potable water to about 13,600 people and wastewater services to about 45,000 people. Joshua Dill: Where does the city’s water come from?
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CITY OF WEST MONROE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
he West Monroe Public Works Department provides potable water and wastewater services to West Monroe, Louisiana, and its environs. During the 1990s, West Monroe became aware that the regional Sparta aquifer was being depleted at a rate of 18 million gallons a day beyond the recharge rate. In 2012, the city took a huge step toward remedying this problem with the opening of its Sparta Reuse Facility. The facility provides 5 million gallons of water a day to a local paper mill, cutting the mill’s groundwater consumption in half. This accomplishment has been recognized with numerous awards, including the 2012 White House Champions of Change award, the 2015 WateReuse Large Project of the Year award, and three international awards from the Green Organisation. In this interview, Terry Emory, environmental quality manager at the West Monroe Public Works Department, speaks with Municipal Water Leader Managing Editor Joshua Dill about the accomplishments of the reuse facility and what it can teach other municipalities.
Joshua Dill: Please tell us about your background and how you came to be in your current position.
