Waster Water Effluent Distribution System Update

[Adam Benefield]

City Council:

This morning at 10:00 AM, the Irrigation Subcommittee held a comprehensive site meeting with Les Hill to discuss the upcoming effluent wastewater distribution system design. The following individuals were in attendance:

• Subcommittee Members: Shane Saum, Paul Prince, Tom Monahan, Jim Cason, and myself.
• Staff: Charles West, Victor, Ernesto and Chad
• Key Discussion Points:
• Additional Irrigation Acreage: It appears the golf course is approximately 20 acres larger than what is currently permitted by TCEQ. If confirmed and approved, this could add 1 million gallons/year of effluent capacity at no additional cost. We're working to determine what's needed to verify and pursue this expansion.
• System Capacity & Design Goals:
  • Although our current TCEQ permit allows for 430,000 gallons/day, the system will be engineered to handle up to 800,000 gallons/day to accommodate rainy-day adjustments and increased flexibility.
  • The system will prioritize 300,000 GPD for irrigating fairways, greens, and tee boxes, covering ~50 acres of primary course area.
  • The remaining land (roughs) could absorb an additional 500,000 GPD, offering operational flexibility.
• Cost-Saving Design Improvement:
  • Les Hill recommended relocating the booster pump to Pond 14, which will serve as an intake-only site. This adjustment could reduce the overall project cost by $200,000, without compromising system performance.
  • Pond 14 will also be repaired and fenced but not used for water distribution.
• Project Timing & Operations:
  • Estimated construction timeline: 4–5 months
  • Goal: Only one hole closed at a time, with rare overlap. Les Hill noted that completed holes will quickly begin improving visually, potentially boosting player satisfaction and revenue even during construction.
• Design Timeline:
  • Les expects to have final engineering documents to staff and subcommittee in ~30 days.
  • This would put bidding in the early December timeframe, with potential construction beginning February 2026 (goal-based, not a guarantee).
• Priorities Reinforced:
  • The subcommittee emphasized that effluent disposal and cost control remain the City's top priorities.
  • Les is confident he can incorporate turf health optimization within those constraints.

This was an extremely productive meeting. We will continue to provide updates as we finalize acreage verification, design milestones, and permitting coordination.

 

[Norma Owen]

Thank you for the report, Councilor Benefield.

 

[Adam Benefield]

Here is an email from Victor Manzano after our Sub-Committee meeting. I find this information very helpful.

Good afternoon Irrigation Committee Members,

I really appreciate everyone who joined our meeting today. I think it was a very productive discussion and helped ensure we’re all on the same page moving forward. For those who could not attend, we agreed to move forward with installing a single pump station at Pond #2 and an inline booster station at Pond #14.

We also discussed existing pond capacities and the additional storage required to increase our permitted capacity from 0.75 MGD to 1.5 MGD. Mr. Stewart raised an important point that increasing from 0.75 MGD to 1.0 MGD should not require additional storage, as previous staff had already modified and expanded the ponds. It was believed that current staff may not have been aware of these expansions due to a lack of digital records.

After doing some research, it appears those files have been digitized, and staff does indeed have access to the as-builts and were provided to Graver. However, after reviewing the slideshow that Councilman Prince developed with previous staff, it appears that the storage capacity values shown are not accurate.

That said, there’s no cause for concern, as everything submitted to TCEQ remains accurate and any additional pond expansion will be addressed through the amendment process. I’ve also prepared a set of tables that summarize the previously permitted storage capacities note that Pond #2 and Pond #14 were not included in the prior permit, the updated storage capacities based on the current improvements which include the reconstruction of Pond #2 and adding Pond #14, and the projected storage capacity requirements anticipated under TCEQ’s determination to reach the 1.5 MGD permit level.

Numbers are rounded to keep it simple


Existing Storage (Previously Permit)​
Storage​	Volume (acre-feet)​	Volume (MGD)​
Pond #17​	61.1​	19,900,000​
Cedar Breaks​	42.3​	13,800,000​
Total​	103.4​	33,700,000​

Number are rounded to keep it simple


Post Improvement Storage​
Storage​	Volume (acre-feet)​	Volume (MGD)​
Cedar Breaks​	61.1​	19,900,000​
Pond #17​	42.3​	13,800,000​
Pond #2​	25.5​	8,300,000​
Pond #14​	2.1​	670,000​
Total​	130.9​	42,670,000.00​

 

[Adam Benefield]

To be realistic, I believe TCEQ will likely require us to match the existing permitted pond capacity, meaning a 12.9 MG pond will be necessary. If we are required to meet the full 1.5 MGD storage capacity, this can be phased in based on our actual average daily flows. To clarify, the 12.9 MG pond would need to be constructed in the near term, while the additional 26.9 MG pond could be deferred until our average daily flow exceeds 1.0 MGD.

My apologies for not getting this to you before the committee report. I had planned to do so, but several other priorities required my attention.

Thanks,
Victor Manzano

 

[Adam Benefield]

These are the specific numbers used in the amended TLAP permit from the as built.

 

[Norma Owen]

Thank you for uploading this information, Councilor Benefield. This is helpful, and I applaud the transparency. Victor, thank you for your ongoing efforts to keep us all informed. It is appreciated.

 

[Adam Benefield]

Report from Victor. "At this time 90% design comments have been sent over to Les Hill once we receive the 100% design I will be sending those over to the committee for final review and getting the RFP posted. I plan this should be within the next couple of weeks."

 

[Paul Roberts]

Thank you for the update, Councilman Benefield, and for including the drawings.

 

[Adam Benefield]

Here is the latest update with attached PDF's. Please review and share any thoughts or concerns BEFORE the Tuesday meeting so they can be addressed.

"I’ve attached the 100% design and specifications for the LVGC irrigation project. The only big change was the relocation of the booster station from pond #14 to the golf course maintenance building. Here is an updated timeline for the bid schedule.

• Golf Course Irrigation Advisory Committee Meeting (GCIAC) – Tuesday 11/25 at 10:00 am
  • This will be to discuss the final design and see if there are any additional questions or concerns within the committee.
• Bid Advertisement dates Thursday 11/27 and Thursday 12/4
  • This means all question from the GCIAC will need to be submitted by EOD Tuesday 11/25. Based on the extents of the questions/concerns will determine if an addendum is required and if the Bid Opening gets pushed back.
• Prebid Meeting – Thursday 12/11
• No questions or request for additional information (From Bidders) – Monday 12/15
• Bid Opening - Thursday 12/18

My plan is to bring this to council for approval January 8th assuming we don’t have council on January 1st. The project is anticipated to begin in February depending on the contractor availability. Putting us at a completion date of May – July range."

Thanks,
Victor Manzano