Corpus Christi makes improving its aging wastewater infrastructure a top priority

The Oso Wastewater Treatment Plant was built in 1941, making it the oldest of Corpus Christi's six wastewater facilities.

Some sewer lines in the city are about 90 years old. Roughly 114 miles of these lines were built in the 1930s. 

The city hasn't kept up with the old systems, City Manager Peter Zanoni said. 

"In the past, the city didn't do the level of investment that it should have," he said.  "(We need continually invest in aging and deteriorating systems that we have here."

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In recent years, the city has worked to change that. 

The city has invested about $83 million the past 10 years into cleaning and repairing its wastewater system. Overflows, instances where wastewater flows into streets or creeks, have been reduced by 93 percent.

In 2008, there were roughly 1,400 overflows reported in the city. Last year, there were only 77 overflows.

The city is also investing more than $20 million to replace the Oso Wastewater Treatment Plant on Nile Drive, near the Suter Wildlife Refuge.

It's the first place sewage is sent.

City Council's latest action follows that trend of investment.

During its regular meeting Tuesday, council awarded a construction contract to Houston-based CSA Construction for Greenwood Wastewater Treatment Plant electrical improvements to the ultraviolet Disinfection system.

The city will pay nearly $6 million for the repairs. The funding comes from the 2020 budget's wastewater capital improvement program. Construction is slated to begin in October and be finished in March 2022. 

The plant's UV system is more than 30 years old. 

"We have not had that many repairs, especially in quality equipment and mechanical systems," said Daniel Deng, the city's assistant director of wastewater treatment. "This is why right now we have made a plan to upgrade all the plants to repair the equipment to meet (the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality) requirements."

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The city's lack of investment into the wastewater system, which has about 1,400 miles of underground pipes and more than 100 lift stations, is why the federal government sued Corpus Christi roughly a decade ago over the system's condition. 

In 2020, the city expects to enter into a consent decree with the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Justice and the state of Texas. Its goal would be to improve the wastewater system citywide.

The $725 million decree would call for cleaning and repairing the systems, as well as making capacity upgrades to increase flow over a 15-year period.  

"This helps to make sure we have clean water that is released into the federal waters," Zanoni said. "The big part of the consent decree is making sure our lines underground, good, and not breaking and not clogged."

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"But another big part is the treatment plants themselves, they have to be operational. And, and so these component pieces to them are very expensive. And but we do need to we do their constant maintenance."

If there is a sewage overflow, the EPA could fine the city as much as $3,000 a day until the problem is fixed to adhere to the consent decree.

"We've been operating like (the decree) is in effect," said Kevin Norton, director of city water utilities.

What's the plan?

Here's what's in store for the city's wastewater system: 

Allison plant lift station upgrade and process improvements 

• Built in 1966.
• Budget of $16 million. 
• Construction start: March 2021.
• Construction completion: December 2022.

Broadway plant rehabilitation

• Built in 2014.
• Budget of $10 million.
• Construction start: May 2022.
• Construction completion: May 2023.

Broadway plant third clarifier 

• Budget of $6.25 million.
• Construction start: January 2023.
• Construction completion: January 2024.

Greenwood plant electrical improvements to UV System 

• Built in 1957.
• Budget of $6.6 million
• Construction start: November 2020.
• Construction completion: June 2022.

Greenwood plant flood mitigation 

• Budget of $5 million.
• Construction start: April 2023.
• Construction completion: April 2024.

Greenwood plant headworks and grit removal rehab 

• Budget of $4.2 million.
• Construction start: January 2020.
• Construction completion:  February 2021.

Greenwood plant process upgrade 

• Budget of $37 million.
• Construction start: April 2023.
• Construction completion:  April 2025.

Laguna Madre plant rehab 

• Built in 1971.
• Budget of $5 million.
• Construction start: April 2021.
• Construction completion: March 2022.

Oso plant ammonia, headworks and lift station

• Built in 1941.
• Budget of $33 million.
• Construction will completed in September 2020 and change order completion for clarifier repair in February 2021.

Oso plant process upgrade and BPC facility decommission

• Budget of $65 million.
• Construction start: June 2022.
• Construction completion:  September 2025.

Whitecap plant improvements 

• Built in 1974.
• Budget of $6.0 million.
• Construction start: October 2022.
• Construction completion:  April 2024.

Whitecap plant, odor control, process and bulkhead Improvements 

• Budget of $3.1 million.
• Construction started in January 2020.
• Construction was scheduled to complete in June 2020, but it has been delayed. The new completion date is unknown.

Kathryn Cargo follows business openings and developments while reporting on impacts of the city government’s decisions.See our subscription options and special offers at Caller.com/subscribe. 

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