DWSRF Elevated Storage Tank Replacement

According to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) regulations, the City of Hondo does not meet elevated water storage tank capacity requirements. Of the three elevated water storage tanks the city owns, one was designed and installed as part of a separate water system at an air force base during the WWII era. When the water system at the air force base was connected to the city’s municipal water distribution system, this particular elevated water storage tank didn’t function properly, and was hydraulically incompatible with the rest of the city’s system. The City of Hondo secured a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan and hired KSA to bring their tank capacity up to code.
 
Before design began, several steps were taken to gather pertinent project information and determine the proper elevation for the new tank, including topographic and geotechnical surveys as well as a system-wide hydraulic analysis of the water system. To correct the hydraulic deficiency and meet current TCEQ standards, the old elevated water storage tank is being demolished and replaced with a new tank that will be hydraulically compatible with the rest of the water distribution system. The new tank will be larger and contain a multi-leg column design that will save the city money and facilitate the city’s future growth.
 
During design, the city added a scope to the project that included a complete supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system for the entire water distribution system. The SCADA system allows for remote monitoring and maximum operational control of the tank using an altitude valve. This SCADA system will not rely on proprietary software or components to ensure cost efficiency, contractor competition, and longevity.
 
The tank is located near the South Texas Regional Airport, so it was permitted through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to make sure the tank provided no obstruction to air navigation, which included FAA-approved obstruction lighting.