WASTEWATER SYSTEMS

McAllen Public Utility Wastewater System serves over 200,000 persons per day, which includes the City of Alton. With approximately 41,565 accounts, which includes residential, commercial, and industrial, the WW Systems strives to provide uninterrupted sanitary sewer service at all times. Along with the Water Systems, the WW Systems main objectives are to protect public health, protect the environment, support economic growth and provide quality of life services.

The Wastewater Systems consists of two Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs): North (15 MGD) and South (10 MGD); Wastewater Collection System (WWCS) which consists of: 55 Lift Stations, 8500 manholes, and 570 miles of 6” to 54” of sanitary sewer lines; Pretreatment Program, which consists of sampling over 1000 accounts of restaurants and industrial companies; WW Laboratory which consists of doing all quality assurance and quality control analysis, along with analyzing over 1000 samples per months for the pretreatment program.

With forward thinking the McAllen Public Utility Board has invested over $100 million in projects that will benefit current and future residents & visitors and the environment. The projects range from: eliminating antiquated lift stations and replacing them with new gravity sewer mains; building a Biological Nutrient Removal Wastewater Treatment System known as BNR, the BNR removes nitrates and phosphates, which are nutrients that effect aquatic life; installation of Reclaim Water System, which will not only conserve potable water, but it will be the first reclaim water system in the Rio Grande Valley to provide irrigation for residential lawns.

McAllen Public Utility will continue to invest in its WW Systems that will improve in delivering uninterrupted sanitary sewer services, protect public health, protect the environment, support economic growth and provide quality of life services to the residents, businesses and visitors of McAllen.

South Wastewater Treatment Plant - 4100 IDELA AVE

The South Wastewater Treatment Plant is the largest Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) plant south of San Antonio. The BNR WWTP was completed in 2017. The 10 (MGD) million gallons per day operates under a State permit which has been established to control pollutant discharges. The permit is designed to regulate the manner, nature, volume and frequency for discharging from a particular source. The permit establishes specific limits on standards for discharging according to the rules and regulation

North Wastewater Treatment - 2100 W SPRAGUE

The North Wastewater Treatment Plant (NWWTP) is a 15 MGD Extended Aeration Plant. The NWWTP is the first WWTP south of San Antonio to provide Type I reclaimed water to residential homes for irrigation; also, NWWTP delivers approximately 45,000,000 gallons monthly to Calpine Energy for their cooling towers. The NWWTP will be distributing Type I reclaimed water to city landscapes, schoolyards, athletic fields and public parks. McAllen Public Utility believe water is a precious resources and MPU wi

PERSONNEL

The State of Texas requires that all operators possess a valid license of competency issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. (TCEQ) operator that operates a wastewater facility or works with the Wastewater Collection System (Lift Stations) must be licensed. There are four levels of licenses for wastewater treatment plant operators, designated as A, B, C, and D and there are three levels in wastewater collection which are I, II, III. All applicants must have a GED or high school diploma, pass a criminal background check and must pass a state examination within one year of employment to be able to continue to work at a WWTP or a WWCS.

The Wastewater Collection Department (WWCD) consists of 26 employees who take pride in their job. They use their skills and equipment to maintain and operate 55 lift stations, maintain and repairs over 570 miles of sewer lines and maintain & inspect over 8500 manholes. WWCD promotes efficiency and effectiveness by striving to maintain a system from having sanitary sewer overflows (SSO), responding to customers concerns within a hour, and providing preventive maintenance to WWCS to ensure uninterrupted sanitary sewer service.

One of the biggest issues that WWCD handles on a daily basis are clogged lines due to wipes (rags), grease, and other obstruction not meant to be flushed into the WWCS. There are only two things that should be flushed into the WWCS, which is human waste and toilet paper. Because this does not happen, WWCD establish a preventive maintenance plan to flush trouble area using a Vactor Truck. Preventive maintenance is the key to having uninterrupted sanitary sewer flow in a ww collection system.

The Wastewater Collection Department will lead the Reclaimed Water distribution by installing, servicing and maintaining reclaimed water meters and lines in a recently developed Tres Lagos Community. Reclaimed water will be available to this area for irrigation for residential lawns. This will be the first time any Wastewater System in the Rio Grande Valley has offered reclaim water for this purpose.

WWCD understands the importance of their job to everyday living. The department is on call 24/7, 365 days a year to make sure the wastewater is flowing with no interruption. The WWCD promotes efficiency and effective through taking pride in protecting public health, protecting the environment, support of economic growth, and giving quality of life services.

LOCATION

4100 West Idela Ave.— McAllen, Texas

MAIN PHONE NUMBER

(956) 681-1755
After Hours: (956) 648-4010

The City of McAllen, TX Wastewater Laboratory was established in 1983. The WW Laboratory’s primary function is to analyze all regulated and other process control parameters per the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) discharge permit set forth by The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The laboratory communicates the results of these analyses to the WWTP operators so proper adjustments are implemented, if necessary, to remain in compliance with the permit. Another important function of the WW Lab is to analyze samples for the pretreatment program. The pretreatment program was activated to monitor the presence of any toxic pollutant that may adversely affect the treatment plant operations, receiving water quality standards and solid disposal procedures. Over 1000 restaurants and industrial businesses are analyzed yearly totaling approximately 4000 samples a year to make sure the pretreatment program stays in compliance with the federal, state and local laws.

The WW Lab every year participates in a Proficiency Testing (PT) program for each permit regulated parameter performed “in house”. This study determines the performance of the laboratory for these specific parameters and the results are reviewed by TCEQ.