Wastewater

The City of League City Wastewater Department is dedicated to serving the public and protecting the environment by promoting exceptional treatment of wastewater through safe regulatory compliance, water conservation and promoting superior final effluent for recreational use.

Responsibilities

The Wastewater Department consists of 22 full-time employees, which makes up operations, maintenance, pretreatment, and one office assistant.

It operates and maintains two wastewater treatment plants and 76 lift stations. These facilities convey and are permitted to treat approximately 16 million gallons of wastewater per day during dry weather periods and up to 48 million gallons per day during wet weather periods. 

To meet the demands of current growth, the capacity expansion of Dallas Salmon Wastewater Treatment Plant was completed in October 2010. Southwest Water Reclamation Facility (SWWRF) was completed in 2012 and serves the southwest area of the City. The department’s operations staff work seven days per week to ensure proper treatment and compliance. The maintenance staff are on call during after hours, weekends, and holidays to respond to emergency calls for service. 

It has a Type I and Type II reuse permit issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). This permit allows reclaimed water to be used for irrigation and firefighting activities. State requirements for effluent are closely monitored and reported on a regular basis. 

Operations

The operations unit maintains daily operations of the Dallas Salmon Wastewater Treatment Plant, which produces 12 million gallons per day (MGD), and the Southwest Water Reclamation Facility, which produces 4 MGD. Staff ensure compliance with all permits regulated by Federal and State requirements. They observe and assess operational practices to optimize treatment and make necessary changes to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Compliance is the key goal for the operations unit. 

Maintenance

The maintenance unit troubleshoots, identifies, and preforms proper repairs on electrical, mechanical, level control, and pumping systems associated with wastewater treatment facilities and the collection system. It also oversees the preventive maintenance on two activated sludge plants and 76 lift stations.

Pretreatment

The pretreatment unit reviews lab data for compliance with federal and state permit requirements. It inspects and samples businesses for compliance with the City’s ordinances and state regulations. All facilities with pretreatment devices, such as grease traps, oil or water separators, grit traps, lint traps, and amalgam separators are inspected on a regular basis to ensure compliance with applicable pretreatment standards.

The Pretreatment program is part of the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) to control the pollutants discharged into sewer systems and to reduce the amount of pollutants released into the environment. Most wastewater treatment plants are designed to treat sanitary (domestic) waste from households, not toxic pollutants from industrial or commercial facilities. Toxic pollutants from industrial and commercial facilities may cause serious problems at Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs).

It also has a “Cease the Grease” outreach program aimed at mitigating pollutants, such as Fats, Oil, and Grease (FOG) to reduce sewer clogs and backups, protect the wastewater infrastructure, and create a healthier and safer environment.

Wastewater Discharge Survey

Fill out the Wastewater Discharge Survey (PDF) to determine whether your business may be using or discharging substances into the sanitary sewer system, which could harm the environment.

Resources

• Cease the Grease Program
• Dental Effluent Guidelines
• Wastewater and Stormwater Information
• Water Environmental Federation (WEF)