Extended Rainfall Produces Wastewater Pipeline Failure

Irving- Heavy rainfall and high river flows combined with increased wastewater flows have resulted in the partial collapse of a wastewater pipeline located at the intersection of International Place and Century Center Boulevard in Irving, Texas. 

The Trinity River Authority of Texas, which owns and operates this pipeline, began mobilizing for an emergency repair in the morning of Wednesday, July 11.  During the repair, wastewater, diluted with stormwater runoff, discharged from TRA’s Elm Fork Interceptor, the pipeline that transports wastewater to the Central Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant in Grand Prairie.

The pipeline repair required that a pump at a lift station be shut down causing wastewater to backup in the pipeline system and flow out of a manhole.  The wastewater flowed into the Irving Flood Control District’s stormwater detention basin where it was diluted further before being discharged to the Elm Fork of the Trinity River.  The wastewater was diluted again by high floodwaters in the Trinity River Elm Fork thereby minimizing impact to the river. 

Pipeline repairs were completed by 4:00 am on July 12.  TRA estimates 277,000 gallons per hour of highly diluted wastewater was discharged before the pumping system was restored to full operation.  TRA has notified the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) of this discharge to the river.

While highly undesirable, the overflow impact to water quality was minimized by dilution with large volumes of flood water in the Irving flood control holding basins and the Elm Fork.  No public water supplies were threatened or contaminated by this pipeline overflow.

For More Information Contact Debbie Bronson, (817) 467-4343