Sulphur Springs wastewater facility named top in Texas
Sulphur Springs Wastewater Treatment Facility has just been named the facility of the year in 2022 by the State of Texas.
The facility, which saw a major renovation in 2019, had “consistent outstanding performance” of all Texas municipalities that process up to 15 million gallons per day, according to the Water Environment Association of Texas.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TECQ) allows between 12-15 parts per million suspended solids in treated wastewater, depending on the season. However, the Sulphur Springs facility often reports total suspended solids of .43 parts per million or less, according to monthly reports– approximately 34 times more stringent than what is required by the state.
CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE
Utilities director James Jordan attributes this to a culture of excellence that flourishes at the facility.
“It’s amazing the mindset of excellence our staff has,” Jordan said. “They do the due diligence to maintain that level, and they sure outshine the rest of the state.”
“It’s normal for us to have the mindset to achieve,” Jordan added.
City manager Marc Maxwell gives credit to Jordan and predecessor Robert Lee for being closely involved in the plant’s 2019 remodel; Maxwell said utility staff could not maintain this standard without Jordan’s inside-out knowledge of the facility.
“He [Jordan] was out there everyday with the contractor making sure everything was done right,” Maxwell noted. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he knows the plans better than the engineers.”
FACILITY OF TOMORROW
With Jordan’s close eye, the project came in “under time and under budget” and blew past state requirements on its first test in August 2019.
“It used to be next to a nightmare operating this plant,” Jordan said of the design phase. “Robert Lee always said ‘I want operating this to be as easy as falling off a log’,”
However, Jordan, Maxwell and the facility staff aren’t ready to pat themselves on the back just yet. They believe that the new records they are setting for treated wastewater will one day become standard, and are hoping to keep Sulphur Springs ahead of the curve.
“It’s not just state-of-the-art for the present, we want it to be state-of-the-art for the future,” Jordan urged.
This especially coincides with the city’s desire to be an attractive place for large businesses– which have vast wastewater treatment needs.
“It’s built for tomorrow because we’ve put in the work to prepare,” Maxwell said.
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GRATITUDE
Jordan, who’s served the city for 17 years, has acted as utilities director since 2018. He has only thankful words for his staff and the engineers who made the plant possible.
“The staff carry the standard, they keep the bar held high,” he said.
The utilities department is the second Sulphur Springs department to receive a statewide award within the span of a year. In August 2021, Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport KSLR was named Texas Airport of the Year.
“All the department heads are of the highest quality,” said Maxwell. “I would put our municipal staff up against any in Texas and in the nation. We’re just so fortunate.”
By Taylor Nye
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