Rowlett Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Administration Building

Project Overview

The Specific Use Permit zoning case involving the Rowlett Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (RWWTP) administration building and contractor service area was rejected by the Plano City Council on August 9, 2021.

NTMWD continues to work with the City of Plano for solutions to move forward on a new administration building for the Rowlett Creek RWWTP which is critical to providing a safe, adequate workspace for District employees while continuing to treat wastewater flows now and into the future.

BACKGROUND

The Rowlett Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (RWWTP) is a permitted 24 MGD (million gallons per day) average daily flow plant located at 1600 Los Rios Boulevard in Plano. The City of Plano originally constructed the Rowlett Creek RWWTP in 1956 and operated the facility until the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTWMD) acquired it in October of 1975 after the city requested NTMWD take over operations. Since then, NTMWD has made numerous improvements and upgrades to the plant.

Phase 1 of Rowlett Creek RWWTP improvements to increase the peak flow capacity of the plant from 60 to 77.5 MGD was substantially complete in Nov. 2021. Additional peak flow improvements are needed to better manage and treat flow during wet weather events. Phase 2 of peak flow improvements will require one of the existing  outfall pipelines to be upsized to an 84-inch pipe within the existing permanent easement. A temporary easement will be required to stage materials for construction. NTMWD continues to finalize design for Phase 2A which would include improvements to the solids handling facilities. Phase 2B will follow completion of Phase 2A and include process improvements needed to treat additional wet weather flows to 95 MGD. The proposed peak flow improvements will be completed within the boundary of the current operating facility.

ADMINISTRATION BUILDING 

The administration building serves as the administrative offices and control room for the plant. The current building was constructed in the mid-1970s using technology and construction codes from that time and does not contain adequate facilities for staff. Currently, staff uses a temporary trailer for restroom, shower and locker facilities as well as breakroom needs.

A new building would need to be approximately 6,000 square feet and contain:

  • Office space;
  • A control room for the plant that utilizes current monitoring and control technologies;
  • Adequate breakroom, restroom, shower and locker facilities;
  • A conference and training room;
  • A small lab (16-ft by 12-ft) where some samples are quickly tested to optimize the treatment process and other samples are prepared for transport to our certified testing lab in Wylie.
  • A structurally hardened area around the control room and an adjacent storage room for employees to go during severe weather such as a tornado; and,
  • Proper HVAC mechanical systems for heating and cooling the building.

NTMWD – PLANO COOPERATION

  • The interlocal agreement (ILA) signed in 2019 between NTMWD and the City of Plano requires NTMWD to install and maintain an irrigated landscape screen along the entire western and southern property. The landscape screen would use evergreen shrubs to create at least a 6-foot tall screen within two years of installation. NTMWD is required to maintain this landscape screen in healthy, growing condition. Installation of the landscape screen was to be included in the next major capital improvement project (CIP) awarded after Board approval of the ILA in 2019. Award of the next CIP project for RCRWWTP is tentatively scheduled for 2023.

 


Who should a resident call to report an odor concern associated with the plant?

The number to call for odor concerns is 469-626-4900. The number is also listed on the NTMWD website, https://www.ntmwd.com/odor-control-wastewater-treatment-plants.