Project Description: The City of Temple, Texas owns and operates the 11.6 MGD Membrane Water Treatment Plant. The plant was placed into operation in 2004 and operated as originally designed for the first 12 to 15 months. However, over the past several years the plant has not been able to consistently operate at the design capacity.

The City contracted with KPA to investigate the cause of the reduced capacity and subsequently to design the necessary improvements to remedy the situation. KPA completed the Membrane Water Treatment Plant Solids Handling and Capacity Improvements Study in September 2008. The study included a “membrane autopsy” in which the membrane manufacturer, Pall Corporation, dissected a single membrane module that had been in operation at the Temple facility. The “autopsy” found that a change in water quality had allowed layers of inorganic and organic fouling to build up that were not successfully removed by the original Chemical Clean-in-Place process (based on pilot test data performed during the design phase) that had been performed since the plant went online. The study recommended a higher chemical strength cleaning be performed to remove the fouling and that the CIP process be modified. The existing Chemical CIP facilities were not sized for the larger “Strong CIPs”. This project was to add chemical storage tanks and pumps sized for the modified cleaning program. A sample “Strong CIP” was performed and the membrane and associated transmembrane pressures were recovered to their pre-fouling conditions.

The project had an aggressive timeline in order to complete improvements prior to elevated summer water demands. Final Design began in Fall 2008 and construction bids were received early January 2009. KPA worked with the City, Pall Corporation and several sub-consultants to design the project in approximately two months. The project consisted of modifying the existing piping and tanks, adding four chemical storage tanks, four peristaltic chemical pumps, a water softening system and the associated electrical and controls necessary for the system to operate correctly.

The 2008 Study also recommended improvements to the solids removal/handling facilities as a follow up phase to the clean-in-place modifications. This stand alone project is described under the Membrane Water Treatment Plant Solids Handling Improvements.

Construction Cost: $590,524