Project Description
Faced with decades of deferred maintenance and upcoming population growth, the City of Hitchcock was faced with a challenge concerning its water infrastructure. They could do nothing and continue to experience unbilled water loss and operational inefficiencies or find a solution that could position their city well to accommodate future growth. The city chose the latter, partnering with Performance Services to conduct an Investment Grade Audit (IGA) to assess the city’s water infrastructure and prioritize improvements accordingly. The IGA commenced in April 2022 and concluded in June 2022. The report identified several issues that needed to be addressed, including a failed grit removal system, material accumulation in the aeration basin, outdated equipment and controls, and infrastructure damage. The City was pleased with the results and the savings that could be achieved by upgrading systems through a performance contract. In July 2022, the City moved forward with a phase 1 self-funded project to begin preparing itself to meet future growth.
Phase 1
The phase 1 project included the implementation of an advanced metering infrastructure. This included the removal of old, automated water meters and their replacement with smart water meters to increase efficiency, bill more accurately, reduce manual reading processes, and provide timely water usage data. Further, the project included significant electrical distribution upgrades, LED lighting, fencing, safety railing, surveillance, aeration basin vactoring, and SCADA upgrades at the city’s wastewater treatment plant and lift stations.
After the initial project was underway, the City learned it no longer held the proper permit for its leachate treatment due to regulatory changes. Because this is one of its main revenue sources, the City leaned on Performance Services to help navigate the process to address the permit issues. The project scope was re-prioritized to reallocate some of the budget to address the TCEQ Permit Amendment. Performance Services’ problem-solving and flexibility moved the city closer to reclaiming the lost $1.2M in annual revenue. These changes were made without significant project delays and with no change orders. This phase will provide $1,115,581 in total annual guaranteed savings for 15 years.
Phase 2
With the conclusion of a successful phase 1 project, the City chose to partner with Performance Services again for a phase 2 project. It included the completion of the TCEQ Permit Amendment, design, procurement, and installation of the Ammonia Reduction System. Once complete, this will allow the city to continue the process of accepting and processing material from surrounding municipalities.
Project Highlights
AMI System with Water Meter Upgrades
- Implement 2,800 smart water meters to reduce manual reading and recover unbilled water loss
- Conduct lead and copper study as part of the TCEQ requirement
Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Electrical distribution upgrades
- Metal buildings rehab
- Lighting upgrades
- New fencing to secure critical sites, improve safety, and ensure TCEQ compliance
- Chemical feed systems
- Security
- SCADA expansion to reduce manual operation and generate energy savings
- Safety railings
- Grit removal system
- Vactoring aeration basins while the basins were in operation
- Ammonia reduction system
Neeville Water Plant
- Electrical distribution upgrades to improve reliability and reduce failure potential
- Lighting upgrades
- New fencing to secure critical sites, improve safety, and ensure TCEQ compliance
- Automate chemical feed systems to cut chemical use in half and provide improved safety
- Security – surveillance system tied into the SCADA system
Lift Stations
- Lighting upgrades
- New fencing to secure critical sites, improve safety, and ensure TCEQ compliance
- Safety railings
- Lift station rehabs
- Security – surveillance system tied into the SCADA system
- SCADA expansion to reduce manual operation and generate energy savings
