As part of a Fort Bend County mandate to reduce the area’s groundwater production—and reduce the threat of subsidence—the city of Richmond is investing heavily in alternative water sources.
Richmond will spend more than $18 million on a new surface water treatment plant. The new facility will produce 2 million gallons per day when it begins operations in 2018. Plans are to double that output by 2025.
“It’s going to supplement the water supply for future growth, as opposed to pumping more water out of the ground,” plant supervisor Ken Bartling said.
Subsidence is the gradual sinking of land, particularly as a result of pumping water from underground sources.
A new source of water
While growth within the city of Richmond has been limited, areas within the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, or ETJ, have boomed with hundreds new single-family homes that require a source of municipal water.
The city uses an average of 1.8 million gallons of water per day, but according to Richmond Public Works Director Howard Christian, it has the capacity to produce 11.6 million gallons per day to meet future demand. The city sources 100 percent of its water from wells not surface water.
According to the Fort Bend Subsidence District’s 2013 Regulatory Plan, which establishes policies in the area of groundwater regulation, the city of Richmond is required to reduce groundwater withdrawals by 30 percent in 2016. An additional 30 percent must be reduced by 2025.
As part of that mandate, the city broke ground on the new 39-acre facility on April 10. The surface water treatment plant is expected to cost $16 million with an additional $2.8 million for pipelines to deliver the water from the Brazos River to the facility.
“Everybody in the [Groundwater Reduction Plan] that we provide water to pays a surcharge on top of their regular rate called a surface water fee,” Christian said. “The surface water fee is what is going to finance the cost of the surface water treatment plant.”
The city is financing the project through general obligation bonds, which will be paid back via a surface water fee billed to the city’s water customers. The bonds were sold in 2015 and 2016 and will mature in 2046.
The city budgeted $2.16 million in fee revenue in fiscal year 2016-17 to the surface water fund, which will pay off the city’s bonds to construct the facility. From fiscal years 2011-12 to 2015-16, the city collected about $8.8 million.
Future planning
Although Richmond’s population within the city limits is roughly 11,000 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Christian said the city provides water to a much larger contingent—up to 25,000 residents.
With the city averaging less than of 2 MGD—or million gallons per day—in groundwater, the water treatment plant will more than cover the expected decrease in the coming years. Though groundwater will still have to be used to keep the operations functional, he said the city intends to produce as much surface water as possible.
“We will have the capacity to treat 2 million gallons per day and our plan is to get as close to that as possible,” Christian said. “Two million gallons per day will actually put us over 30 percent [groundwater reduction mandate].”
The city provides water to area municipal utility districts within its ETJ along with a handful of other customers, including some schools.
City officials have also begun planning for the future, as Christian said they are updating the water master plan in preparation for subsidence issues, as well as growth in the city.
“What [the water master plan] does is takes a look at future development and makes a best guess on where we’re going to be 10 to 15 years from now,” Christian said. “It’s used as a planning tool
to help make sure we can meet requirements as we go forward.”
“Fort Bend County is a popular place. People want to move there and live there, and they’re seeing a rapid influx of population. All folks need water.”
— Michael Turco, Fort Bend Subsidence District general manager
Losing ground
Although Richmond is not losing as much ground as its neighbor to the east, Sugar Land, which has lost nearly a foot of ground over the last 20 years, some parts of the city have experienced subsidence.
“Fort Bend County is a popular place. People want to move there and live there, and they’re seeing a rapid influx of population. All folks need water,” said Michael Turco, general manager of the Fort Bend County Subsidence District. “To get the alternative waters moving on time is important.”
The subsidence district works with municipalities—cities and MUDs—to ensure they conserve groundwater and meet the regulatory requirements. According to the district’s most recent annual report, Fort Bend County groundwater accounted for nearly half of all water consumption in 2015.
Between 2000 and 2016, Richmond lost 3 inches of ground, according to data from the district. Farther out in the city’s ETJ near the Covey Trails Airport off FM 1093, the area lost 3 inches of ground between 2011 and 2016 alone. Near Greatwood, the area has seen slight subsidence between 2015 and 2017.
The new surface water treatment facility will put the city in compliance with the district’s regulation and potentially thwart any additional subsidence. Municipalities that do not conform to mandatory groundwater conservation requirements face penalties.
The subsidence district can tack on a $6.50 disincentive fee for every 1,000 gallons of groundwater that is pumped over a municipality’s allowable threshold.
“It’s important to recognize all of these projects are forward-looking. Fort Bend is a growing place,” Turco said. “Our concern in all of this is the project [the municipalities] decide upon will be compliant with the district’s regulatory compliance plan.”
