Round Rock provides regional wastewater plant update

The City of Round Rock has taken several steps to handle increased flows at the Brushy Creek Regional Wastewater System Treatment Plant, which is now operating within permitted discharge levels for volume of wastewater on a daily basis.

The regional wastewater plant, which is located along Highway 79 in Round Rock, began experiencing a significant increase in the amount of wastewater it is receiving in March.

The City, which operates the plant on behalf of a regional partnership, has maintained communication with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) as crews worked to bring the plant back into compliance. The plant is jointly owned by the Cities of Round Rock, Cedar Park, Austin and Leander; the public drinking water supply has not been affected. 

City staff continues to test the water in Brushy Creek on a daily basis to ensure compliance with TCEQ standards.

The City has conducted sampling throughout the City and region’s underground wastewater delivery system, which includes approximately 600 linear miles of wastewater lines. Crews have found multiple sources of inflow and infiltration, which is groundwater and surface water inadvertently entering the sewer system, which are contributing to approximately 2-3 million gallons per day (MGD) of unnecessary influent entering the plant.

Wastewater lines inspected and leaks found as of April 26, 2022

In addition to repairs being made by City of Round Rock employees to smaller lines within the system, City has engaged third party contractors for repairs to be made:

• Three manhole repairs and four 36-inch line repairs along Chandler Creek, between Mays Street and Old Settlers Boulevard;
• One 42-inch line repair along Brushy Creek Road between Parmer Lane and Great Oaks Boulevard;
• Three 24-inch line repairs located south of the intersection of Greenlawn Boulevard and Gattis School Road; and
• One 21-inch line repair near Kenney Fort Boulevard and Brushy Creek.

The City of Round Rock has taken the following additional actions to create more capacity to handle the increase in influent while repairs are being made:

• Bringing the West Treatment Plant, located near Downtown Round Rock, back online to divert up to 3 MGD of wastewater from the main regional plant.
• Along with its partner cities, continuing a planned expansion that is currently under construction, which will increase the treatment plant capacity to 30 MGD. The plant expansion will be completed in summer 2023; however, new infrastructure will come online in July 2022 to provide more plant capacity. 

Utilities and Environmental Services Director Michael Thane provided an update to Round Rock City Council at its regularly scheduled packet briefing on Tuesday, April 26. The video of that presentation can be viewed below:

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Source: City of Round Rock