The population of Wilmer, Texas, has grown by 22% over the last decade, and the City has developed into a southwestern multimodal shipping hub. Clustered around the Union Pacific Terminal, Wilmer’s commercial and industrial businesses have boomed primarily due to its interstate-accessible location.
THE CHALLENGE
Working with RJN Group, Inc., the City implemented cost-effective methods to proactively manage its water and wastewater assets for the next decade by:
- Developing a programmatic approach for leveraging risk-based strategies in water and wastewater system maintenance and management.
- Maximising infrastructure budgets using forecasting tools that focus resources on critical assets and drive proactive maintenance.
- Creating a comprehensive GIS-based asset solution with interactive, real-time resources for life cycle asset management.
THE SOLUTION
RJN conducted field verifications and staff interviews to:
- Capture institutional knowledge
- Correct GIS irregularities
- Reconcile as-built inconsistencies
The results were consolidated into a unified, interactive GIS solution serving as the foundation for long-term asset management. RJN led workshops and discussions with City staff to identify strategic parameters for risk analysis and leverage the City’s institutional knowledge of its water systems, geographic relationships, and essential buildings. Items discussed included pipe materials, aging equipment, impaired structures, pressurised flow, and domino-like failure impacts on systems.
A primary goal of the asset management program is to maintain a desired level of service for its customers through preventive maintenance and transform condition assessment data into action plans and capital improvements. To that end, inspection and maintenance plans were developed for each asset type.
RESULTS
Sanitary sewer inflow and infiltration (I/I) reduces capacity and increases treatment costs. The City pays per gallon to treat its wastewater, so reducing I/I will facilitate long-term pumping and treatment savings.
RJN’s wastewater recommendations included:
- Manhole inspections
- CCTV sewer inspection
- Smoke testing
- Lift station drawdown testing and condition assessments
- Broadband electromagnetic (BEM) testing and force main pressure monitoring
The schedule of inspections was prioritized based on generated risk scores and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) wastewater management standards. These inspection methods will inform I/I reduction strategies and significantly decrease system stress over the next decade.
Non-revenue water loss can significantly impact municipal budgets and lead to pipeline failure if not detected and repaired promptly. Routine investigation of water distribution systems is essential to ensure operators can effectively locate, access, and control water flow.
RJN’s water distribution recommendations included:
- Acoustic leak detection
- Valve exercising with logging of size, turn count, torque, and visible conditions
- Hydrant flow testing and visual inspection
- Pump station assessments (level 1 & 2)
- Water tank remotely operated vehicle assessment (level 1)
- Water tank structural assessment (level 2)
