Sunday, May 04, 2014

Alan Plummer to Take Second Crack at Reclaimed Water Plan



The City of San Angelo has a Reclaimed Water Use plan according to Alan Plummer Associates Inc., the firm engaged to do the latest round of reuse planning.  Alan Plummer conducted the city's 2006 Reclaimed Water Feasibility Study, which is extensively mentioned in the 2014 Contract-Attachment A.

The 2006 plan was never made public, but here's what Attachment A says about it:
1.  Key findings from the 2006 Reclaimed Water Feasibility Study will be shared at the Kick-Off Meeting for the 2014 plan (Task #1).

2.  Using the 2006 study as a basis(with any updates provided by city staff), APAI will identify potential service areas within the city that could be served with a nonpotable water (purple pipe) system  (Task #4).

3.  Review recent water usage data for any additional users for the City, not included in the 2006 study, or for users whose usage may have changed due to expansion or change of water use practices, as identified by the city (Task #4a).
4.  Review treatment upgrades recommended in the 2006 study and update as appropriate (Task #4d).    

It's not clear who saw the 2006 study but the end result had all of San Angelo's reclaimed water going to irrigation. 

Alan Plummer Associates also did a 2011 study for the Texas Water Development Board titled "History of Water Reuse in Texas."  That same year Water Chief Will Wilde defended reclaimed water's sole irrigation focus.

Will Wilde personally benefited from this irrigation water.  He owns a 300 acre cotton farm at the head of the irrigation canal.  Wilde is gone and the ball is in new Water Chief Ricky Dickson's and City Council's court.

Council will take up the projected cost for the 2014 study, roughly $190,000.  That's just for the study. Changes are sure to be much more expensive.

Update 5-7-14:  City Council postponed the decision on the proposal until their next meeting.  The tenor of the discussion sounds like the study will be approved on 5-19.

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