Fort Worth clears a blockage holding up much-needed sewage plant near Mary’s Creek
Fort Worth is getting its first new wastewater treatment plant since the 1950s after the city, the Tarrant Regional Water District, and district board member Marty Leonard reached a deal to divert treated water away from nearby Mary’s Creek, according to a district press release Friday.
The city has been trying to get a plant built since 2016, but faced objections from the district and a legal challenge from Leonard concerned about wastewater flowing into Mary’s Creek and the Trinity River.
The district will permit, design, and build a pipeline downstream of Fort Worth’s plant that will capture the treated wastewater and divert it to the district’s existing lakes and reservoirs, according to the release.
The deal allows Fort Worth to build the much-needed plant, while also protecting the environment, city water department director Chris Harder said in the press release.
The district’s chief water resources officer called the deal a “win-win” highlighting how it makes efficient use of the city’s wastewater to secure the region’s water supply.
The deal will still have to be voted on and approved by the TRWD board on May 17 and the Fort Worth city council at its May 24 meeting.
The dispute centered on the potential impacts from the treated wastewater discharged into the creek. District officials argued nutrients in the wastewater could promote the growth of toxic blue green algae, in a legal filing disputing the permit.
Leonard expressed concerns about the impact the treatment facility would have on her property, which sits roughly a mile from the facility’s planned location at 11091 Chapin Road.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality granted Leonard a hearing based on that proximity.
Members of the Water District Accountability Project, a grassroots group of residents lobbying for more transparency at the district, accused Leonard of having a conflict of interest alleging her opposition was based on a potential real estate deal to build apartments on the land.
Leonard forcefully denied the allegation, saying her protest was based on her concern about the cleanliness of water in Mary’s Creek, reading from a prepared statement at the February water district board meeting.
The city currently only operates one wastewater treatment plant in east Fort Worth, which treats wastewater from most of Tarrant County and some of Johnson County.
Harder argued the plant is critical as rapid growth in Fort Worth is challenging the city’s ability to meet the demand for treated wastewater.
He estimated it will take six years to design, build and staff the new facility, speaking to the Star-Telegram in November 2021.
This story was originally published May 13, 2022 at 9:01 AM.
.jpg)