On Sept. 8, the new Gruene Water Reclamation Facility began treating wastewater from New Braunfels at 1835 Gruene Road, New Braunfels.
The new facility, which is taking over operations from the current Gruene Wastewater Treatment Plant, is capable of treating up to 2.5 million gallons of wastewater per day, up from 1.1 million gallons at the original plant.
The project included the construction of the new Gruene Road plant, installation of a sewer transfer pipe from the existing plant, abandonment of the existing center and construction of a sewer transfer pipe from Blieders Creek, according to Michael Short, New Braunfels Utilities director of water services and compliance.
The original center is located in a flood plain and is at maximum treatment capacity, which makes it difficult for the existing plant to serve the growing population, Short said.
“From a hydraulic perspective, [the original plant] is still in compliance, but as people have started to conserve water in their homes, the concentration of the waste from each home gets stronger,” Short said. “That old plant has done its duty. It’s served its purpose, but we’re ready to move on.”
In addition to an increase in treatment capacity and flood risk mitigation, the new plant features an encased headworks building to reduce odor when sewage first enters the facility, and it specializes in the treatment of phosphorus.
“We're able to treat phosphorus now at this plant, which we weren't able to at the old plant, [and] we've gone to ultraviolet disinfection of the water so we don't have to have tons of chlorine gas here at the facility,” Short said, adding that the odor protection technology is a feature unique to the new plant and was included due to the facility’s proximity to Loop 337 and several residential areas. “We know that this is a high-profile spot, and we want to be good neighbors within the community.”
Wastewater transfer between the old and new plants began the morning of Sept. 8, and the new facility is expected to be fully operational within a week, according to Melissa Krause, NBU's chief communications and strategy officer.
