Points of Interest
The first recorded builder of a canal was the legendary King Scorpion in the fourth Millenium B.C.
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The Trinity River basin lies in the eastern half of Texas and has an overall length of 327 air miles. The total area drained by the Trinity River and its tributaries is 17,969 square miles, or approximately 6 percent of the state’s land area.

Approximately three and one-half million people are served by eight major regional wastewater treatment plants operated by the Trinity River Authority, Dallas, Fort Worth, Garland and the North Texas Municipal Water District. Wastewater facilities operated by these entities release more than 500 million gallons per day of treated wastewater that has 98 percent of all conventional contaminants removed. As a result of our combined efforts, the Trinity River is once again, beginning to resemble a river.


Central Regional Wastewater System

System Overview

The Trinity River Authority is a political subdivision of the state of Texas and encompasses all or parts of 17 counties located within the Trinity River Basin. Public services currently provided and/or being developed by the Authority include multiple regional wastewater treatment, water treatment, recreation, water supply and reservoir systems.

The Authority has proven that the concept of regionalized treatment of wastewater works and works well to the benefit of all parties. That concept first began with the construction of TRA’s Central Regional Wastewater System in 1957. Other similar Authority water reclamation projects, now on line, are providing these same valuable services. Read about them..................

In December 1959, the Central Regional Treatment Plant was placed into operation to serve four member cities: Irving, Grand Prairie, Farmers Branch and a portion of western Dallas.

In 1993, the CRWS Plant was expanded to 162 MGD capacity with total secondary and tertiary treatment and the ability to treat a 2-hour peak of 335 MGD. Also, dechlorination facilities were added to meet new state and federal guidelines for the removal of chlorine to less than 0.1 mg/l.


Making it Work with Technology, People and Programs Technology

State-of-the-art technology makes the Trinity River Authority Central Regional Wastewater System efficient and economical. The Central System has a service area of over 450 square miles with a collection system extending more than 200 miles. The system uses current state-of-the-art technology in collection system telemetering, computer systems, operational control and maintenance management.  A process computer system receives all collection system meter stations and lift stations flows, and also controls and monitors various functions of the plant process.

Various programs at Central to improve overall efficiency are: recycling of Freon, antifreeze, oil, paper, cans, glass and beneficial reuse of biosolids.

Central’s has the option of disposing of biosolids in an 80-acre on-site monofill.
 

Contracting Parties

TRA management directs the planning, design, construction and operational strategies with the advice and input of the Central System Advisory Committee. This committee is composed of one voting member from each of the System’s 21 contracting parties. All decisions which affect service, operations, capital costs and the annual operating budgets are presented and discussed with this committee before final action is taken by the TRA Board of Directors.


This teamwork approach to problem solving produces a synergism in the decision-making process of this project.  All contracting parties pay the same cost for wholesale wastewater treatment, which is currently in the range of $1.04 per 1,000 gallons. Payments to TRA are based upon estimated costs and predicted allocations among the 21 parties. At the end of each fiscal year, an audited settle-up procedure returns all unspent funds to the 21 parties.

Emergency Response

The Central Plant has a comprehensive Emergency Response Plan to protect employees and the general public. There are four response teams made up of eight members who are trained to contain chemical leaks at the Central Facility. These response teams use state-of-the-art emergency equipment when called into action. A safety trailer for responding to on-site emergencies is available to the emergency responders. The response team is also fully trained in all rescue techniques and confined space procedures.

Process Overview

TRA’s Central System is not only a very large collection and water reclamation unit capable of producing a very high quality effluent, but is also a full service facility that possesses in-house capability to accommodate virtually all of its operations, maintenance, administration and technical service needs.

Complete treatment can be provided to monthly average flows of 162 MGD and daily maximum flows of 335 MGD. During the treatment process, biological oxygen demand, suspended solids and ammonia nitrogen are reduced by 99 percent. The Central plant has the mechanical dewatering capability of processing 200 dry tons of sludge daily.

Unique features you will find within the Central System include:

  • A fully integrated environmental laboratory provides complete analytical capabilities for plant process monitoring and control for liquids and solids operation around the clock.
  • A full service industrial pretreatment division whose services include industrial permitting, inspecting and sampling, which when coupled with the analytical capabilities of the laboratory provide the Central system and its customer cities with the ability to comply with all state and federal pretreatment laws.
  • It is one of the few treatment facilities with on-site biomonitoring facilities which provide a broad range of toxicity testing capabilities.
  • It features one of the largest successful carbon adsorption processes in active use that consistently produces a nontoxic high quality effluent water.
  • The capability for in-house collection system monitoring and repair.
  • The largest urban effluent reclamation and reuse program in Texas.
  • Sludge dewatering using filter and belt presses produces a dry product which allows for the full array of disposal options.
  • An innovative odor control program involving the collection, transportation and introduction of odorous gases into either the activated sludge process or biofilters for biological treatment as a primary method of odor reduction.


Winner of the following awards:

  • Water Environment Federation Outstanding Achievement in Water Quality Improvement Award

  • Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 Award for Operations and Maintenance Excellence-Large Advanced Category

  • Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission Pinnacle Award for Operations and Maintenance Excellence-Large Advanced Category

  • Multiple Gold and Silver Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agency Award

  • Water Environment Association of Texas Burke Facility Safety Award

 

 

Trinity River Authority of Texas
Central Regional Wastewater System
(972) 263-2251
Fax: (972) 331-4412

 

Ten Mile Creek Regional Wastewater System

The Ten Mile Creek Regional Wastewater System went into service for the first time in November 1970. This advanced wastewater collection and treatment facility provides service for an 85-square-mile service area in southern Dallas and northern Ellis Counties.   Contracting parties served by TRA’s Ten Mile Creek System include Cedar Hill, De Soto, Duncanville, Lancaster and Ferris. In excess of 110,000 citizens of these cities are served by the Authority.

The treatment plant for this system was developed on a 100-acre tract of land a short distance northeast of Ferris and had an initial treatment capacity of 6.78 million gallons per day.  In the early 1980’s substantial growth within the customer cities resulted in TRA planning and constructing treatment plant expansions.

In its current configuration, the Ten Mile Creek Treatment Plant operates as two  separate  treatment trains with a total treatment capacity of 24 MGD.  The Ten Mile Creek Plant is capable of treating wastewater to a 97 percent level of
purity as compared to raw wastewater entering the plant.
 Each customer city owns and operates its own internal collection system which discharges into TRA’s Ten Mile Creek interceptor system. The Authority’s interceptor pipelines extend for approximately 33 miles not including parallel lines that have been added and will continue to be added to accommodate additional wastewater flows generated by growth within the service area. Flows entering TRA’s pipelines are metered so that customer cities are only charged for their pro rata share of system use and costs.
The Ten Mile Creek Regional Wastewater System has long been recognized by both state and federal regulatory agencies as one of the best treatment systems in the state. The system’s ability to consistently meet or exceed the stringent parameters of its wastewater discharge permit was further documented when it received the Gold Award from the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies every year since 1987 except 1994 and 1995 when it received the Silver Award.

 

Trinity River Authority of Texas
Ten Mile Creek Regional Wastewater System
(972) 225-3462

 


Denton Creek Regional Wastewater System

 

This state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant, located on a 48 acre tract of land north of Roanoke, first began treating wastewater flows in May 1990 using ultraviolet light disinfection units. High intensity light is used in this process to disinfect wastewater flows without the use of chemicals, making the Denton Creek plant one of the first wastewater treatment plants to use this process in Texas. The Denton Creek Regional Wastewater System (DCRWS) serves Fort Worth, Haslet, Roanoke, Southlake, The Circle T MUD No. 1 and 3, Keller, Northlake, Flower Mound, Westlake, and Marshall Creek. Within the City of Fort Worth is the intermodal industrial facility, serving the Alliance


Airport facility, which is the first of its kind in the nation providing commercial air service to many industries, distribution centers and commercial establishments located adjacent to the airport. Also located in Fort Worth is the Texas Motor Speedway, hosting 5-6 race events per year adding to the population of the treatment area 250,000 people per race event with ammonia loadings over 100 mg/l.
Denton Creek Regional Wastewater System is currently capable of serving a population of 50,000. This is accomplished through the system’s major components, including a 25-mile-long pipeline system and a treatment plant capacity of 5 million gallons per day.

The plant provides advanced secondary and tertiary treatment of wastewater, enabling the treated wastewater to meet stringent treatment limits.

There are three major interceptors n the system.  They are: The Denton-Henrietta Creek  Interceptor, the Fort Worth Trunk, The Cade Branch Interceptor and the Denton Creek Pressure System. DCRWS operates two lift stations and 13 meter stations.
 


Denton Creek is an activated sludge single-stage nitrification process followed by tertiary treatment and ultraviolet disinfection. Waste solids are pumped to an aerobic digester and are dewatered by a belt press.
 
Disinfection

 Disinfection by ultraviolet radiation (UV) is the final step in the treatment process. By disrupting the DNA structure of the microorganisms, the UV accomplishes disinfection without altering the physical or chemical properties of the treated water. Effluent flow is measured by a Parshall flume prior to discharge to Denton Creek.



    

Winner of the following awards:

  • AMSA 
    Gold 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005
    Silver 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004
     

  • Texas Safety Association
    Award of Merit 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004
    Award of Achievement 2002
     

  • Bowen, Miclette & Britt, Inc.
    Excellence In Safety 1999

 

Trinity River Authority of Texas
Denton Creek Regional Wastewater System
(817) 430-4657

 
 

Red Oak Creek Regional Wastewater System

This regional wastewater treatment system began operations in 1991, and serves all of Ovilla, Glenn Heights and Red Oak, and portions of DeSoto, Cedar Hill and Lancaster. Capable of serving a population of 35,000, the system consists of a 3.5 mgd treatment plant and 28 miles of pipeline.

TRA's Red Oak plant features a pastoral landscape design. The plant is sheltered from the road any trees  and gently rolling streams. Low intensity lighting, noise control features and an architecturally-designed administration building which resembles a country home helps preserve the plant site's rural character.   Since beginning operations in February 1991, the plant has provided a positive environmental impact on the Red Oak Creek ecosystem.

Trinity River Authority of Texas
Red Oak Creek Regional Wastewater System
(972) 299-6808

 

 

Mountain Creek Regional Wastewater System

 
Mountain Creek Regional Wastewater System will begin providing services to Cities of Grand Prairie, Midlothian and Venus in mid-2004.  Additional contracting parties located in southern Dallas, Tarrant, and northern Ellis Counties may be added to the system in the future.
 
The system includes a new 3.0 MGD wastewater treatment plant,  multiple new lift stations and force mains as well as Midlothian’s existing 0.9 MGD wastewater plant located immediately adjacent to the new plant.  Components of the new 3.0 MGD plant consist of aeration basins, aerobic digesters, final clarifiers and ultraviolet light disinfection.

Trinity River Authority of Texas
Mountain Creek Regional Wastewater System