Posted: Wed, 10 Feb 2016 11:09 AM - 15,505 Readers

By: Austin American Statesman

Travis County Water Control and Improvement District No. 17 held an official opening of its new Mansfield Water Treatment Facility Jan. 28.

Located on a four-acre tract of land just north of Mansfield Dam, the $31.4 million plant is designed with both efficiency and environmental stewardship in mind, according to district officials.

The Mansfield Water Treatment Facility project is the largest expansion of capacity in 56 years and the most complex major capital project Water District 17 has ever under taken. Officials say the facility will provide the water treatment capacity needed to meet ever stringent Environmental Protection Agency requirements, protect public health, the environment and the quality of life for the growing area population for decades into the future.

A second water treatment plant on the north side of the dam has been in the district long-range plans for many years. In anticipation of this requirement, in 2006, the district began the process of obtaining an easement on the shore of Lake Travis to construct a new plant.

The district’s existing water treatment plant is located on Lake Travis near the district’s administration office building at 3812 Eck Lane. The Eck Water Treatment Plant now uses the membrane filtrations system and has been expanded in about eight phases to a current capacity of 16.0 million gallons per day. Because there is not sufficient space at the existing site for additional expansions, the new site was acquired.

During the past 10 years, the demand for water in District 17 doubled. In the following decades this growth is expected to continue. The new plant has an initial capacity of six million gallons per day, which is a major step in the district’s plan to ensure the current and future needs of its customers. If necessary, the district can increase the plant’s capacity to 12 MGD at greatly reduced cost to meet future demand.

In a recurrence of serious drought conditions, Lake Travis levels could drop precipitously limiting the districts’ ability to draw water. If the lake level drops below 600 feet mean sea level, the Eck Lane plant capacity would be reduced. The Mansfield plant is able to draw water with the lake levels as low as 560 feet msl, ensuring a secure supply.

The new water pumping station on the shore of Lake Travis was dedicated to the memory of longtime Lakeway water issues pioneer Cole Rowland, and the treatment plant was dedicated to the honor of Henry W. Marley, WCID 17 field supervisor, and Leslie A. Terrell, accountant and office manager, for their combined 50 years of service to the district and the Lake Travis area.

*  Story Contributed by: Austin American Statesman