The City of Eden water supply has consisted of two deep (approximately 4,000 feet) water wells since the second well was constructed 30 years ago. While the wells have been good sources of production, the City’s wells contain radionuclides above state and federal maximum contaminant levels (MCL) for Combined Radium and Gross Alpha Particles. During the planning phase of the project, the only radionuclide reduction technology currently in use in Texas was based on an extremely expensive non-regenerable ion exchange technology.

With the expensive treatment requirements, eHT assisted the City in gaining eligibility with TWDB’s Economically Distressed Areas Program (EDAP) which with a Determination of Nuisance Finding (due to the radionuclide impacts to drinking water quality), allowed the City to obtain EDAP funding consisting of approximately 85% grant funding. The project will install a new well, transmission piping, SCADA upgrades, and associated site improvements.

eHT provided project management, application assistance, pilot-scale testing and design for the project and included construction of a new water treatment facility centralized between the existing wells to minimize transmission and pumping costs, installation of a new 750 gpm non-regenerable ion exchange based radionuclide reduction treatment system, a new finished water clearwell, a new groundwater cooling system, a new disinfection system, as well as electrical and control improvements to provide automated treatment operations. The project addressed TCEQ violations for Combined Radium and Gross Alpha Particles.