WYLIE, TX – Mar. 16, 2022: The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) has been a leader in water reuse for more than a decade to help meet the growing population in the region, and the utility provider was honored at the 37th Annual WateReuse Symposium with the prestigious 2022 WateReuse Award for Excellence as a Community Water Champion.
The WateReuse Association recognized leaders in the industry from across the United States that have made significant contributions in advancing water reuse as a key component of water resources management during a March 8th ceremony in San Antonio, TX. WateReuse Awards for Excellence winners use novel approaches to water reuse to solve water management challenges and advance policies that lead to greater of adoption of water recycling. NTMWD earned the Community Water Champion award which recognizes the accomplishments of utilities and local government entities that ensure a safe, reliable, locally-controlled water supply through planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of reuse facilities and the water supplies they provide.
“Water reuse provides a resilient, cost effective water supply for the District,” said Billy George, NTMWD Deputy Director for Water and Wastewater. “We are extremely proud of our cross-functional teams that help design, build and operate NTMWD’s East Fork Water Reuse Project which also creates a vital environmental resource to educate the community through the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center.”
The largest component of the NTMWD water reuse portfolio is the East Fork Water Reuse Project which is comprised of the East Fork Wetlands, the cornerstone of NTMWD’s water reuse strategy since 2009, and the Trinity River Main Stem Pump Station, which began operation in 2020. NTMWD also prioritizes water conservation and reuse education and research through a unique partnership with the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center.
The East Fork Wetlands is essentially a large-scale water recycling project, diverting approximately 90 million gallons per day (MGD) of effluent return flows from the East Fork Trinity River and cleaning the water using natural treatment processes in a 2,000-acre constructed wetland. The cleansed water is then pumped through a 42-mile pipeline back to Lavon Lake, where it is blended and stored until sent to the Wylie Water Treatment Plant for treatment as drinking water. The addition of the Trinity River Main Stem Pump Station provides a reliable water supply to supplement diversions at the East Fork Wetlands.
“As our region continues to grow, a diverse water supply portfolio including reuse is critical to meeting water needs now and well into the future,” added George. “NTMWD has increasingly leveraged water reuse over the past decade to help meet these growing demands and will continue our efforts to create safe and resilient water supplies.”
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