Costello provided scoping, planning, survey, design, and construction phase services for reclaimed water treatment, storage, and pumping improvements at an existing regional wastewater facility, as well as approximately 46,000 linear feet of reclaimed water line to serve 27 lakes at nine delivery points and serve the majority of the District’s common areas with Type 1 reclaimed water effluent.

The project involved coordination with the Texas Water Development Board and North Fort Bend Water Authority to secure funding for the project, including federal grant money for a portion of the funds.

The project involved considerable coordination with area utility providers, the City of Houston, and the County to address conflicts and protect existing utilities and pavement as required when working through the middle of a built-out neighborhood with extensive commercial and residential development already in place. Coordination with TxDOT was utilized to secure a crossing permit for the trenchless waterline crossing of Grand Parkway.

Treatment includes tertiary cloth filter treatment. Transfer pumps lift flow to two 0.5MG ground storage tanks. Steel and pre-stressed concrete tanks were bid to allow selection of the most cost-effective alternative. A building was included to house the electrical, booster pumps, and supplemental chlorination. Two hydropneumatic tanks reduce pump run time.

The project included a mix of open-cut and trenchless construction, with a significant amount of trenchless construction planned. Due to the widespread service area, the project included pressure-reducing valves to adjust pressures to the optimal rate throughout the system, depending on proximity to the reclaimed plant. Since the irrigation and lake makeup water was served with potable water or non-potable well water from wells or lakes, provisions were included to allow the system to be converted back to potable in the event of an emergency, with the necessary protections in place to protect the potable water system.

Timer-controlled lake fill valve stations were designed to allow water to be fed to the lakes in a controlled manner throughout the day while only irrigating during the night to minimize the risk of human contact.

Additionally, the irrigation system heads were converted to “purple” to comply with state reclaimed water requirements.