Protecting the waters of the state of Texas through environmentally sound, economically feasible and technologically advanced wastewater and water management practices is a big job.
GCA board of directors, pictured from left: Jackie Peden, Amber Batson, Robert Swanson, Franklin D.R. Jones, GCA GM/CEO Liz Fazio Hale, Kevin Scott and Lamont Meaux.
GCA board of directors, pictured from left: Jackie Peden, Amber Batson, Robert Swanson, Franklin D.R. Jones, GCA GM/CEO Liz Fazio Hale, Kevin Scott and Lamont Meaux.
But that’s just what Gulf Coast Authority (GCA) has been doing for 54 years.
GCA is a political subdivision of the state of Texas created in 1969 by the Texas Legislature to clean up Galveston Bay. Since that time, its ability to provide reliable, cost-effective regional wastewater and water services has been expanded across the state.
GCA recently broke ground on its newest industrial wastewater treatment facility located at the RailPort Business Park in Midlothian, Texas, about 25 miles southwest of Dallas. The project came together in less than two years.
First approached by an engineering consultant for a company looking to expand in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, a development agreement was signed in December 2020 to explore the project further. During that time GCA began working with the local water authority and municipality to form interlocal agreements.
GCA team joins the city of Midlothian, Texas, in celebrating the groundbreaking of the new facility.
GCA team joins the city of Midlothian, Texas, in celebrating the groundbreaking of the new facility.
In February 2021, the local water authority passed a board resolution that enabled GCA to provide industrial wastewater services in the region. In November 2021, GCA and the city of Midlothian executed an interlocal agreement that allowed GCA to provide industrial wastewater treatment services within the city.
GCA and the industrial participant signed a design, construct and operate agreement in December 2021, just one year after signing the initial development agreement. By 2022, the GCA RailPort Facility of North Texas agreement was drafted and approved to move forward.
The facility will use dichlorination and pH adjustment to treat cooling water blowdown. The treated effluent will be discharged through an approximately three-mile pipeline. Projected to treat roughly half a million gallons of wastewater a day, 90% of the water utilized is expected to be reused.
"This project is an example of our ability to quickly collaborate with industry and local subdivisions of the state to protect the environment," said Liz Fazio Hale, GCA GM and CEO. "Our quick ingenuity in providing services specifically designed to treat the wastewater and water reuse needs of a customer, or many customers, the planning and execution of projects and in complying with complex local, state and federal regulations truly sets us apart from other water authorities."
For more information, visit gcatx.org or call (281) 488-4115.
