Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) and the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 20 following the completion of the Integrated Pipeline (IPL) project. This project consisted of creating a 2,700-foot tunnel that will supply water to many North Texas homes and businesses.
According to TRWD, the project gives both water management bodies the ability to bring an additional 350 million gallons per day into the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and more supplies from two water reuse projects in East Texas.
The new pipeline project, located along a separate path from existing TRWD pipelines, cost an estimated $2.3 billion. The pipeline also operates on a different grid from the previous facilities.
“Originally, the two entities had planned separate pipelines,” said Terry Lowery, Director of Dallas Water Utilities. “My understanding is with the state regional water planning groups… We kind of laid our steps side by side and said, ‘Oh, why don’t we look and see if we can do this together?’ So a feasibility study was done, and it showed to be not only cost-effective, but from operational, maintenance, it was beneficial to both entities.”
Dan Buhman, TRWD General Manager, revealed that partnering with the city of Dallas on the project saved both parties more than a billion dollars over the project’s life. He added that the savings would be passed over to customers.
“In addition to adding more drinking water over the life of the project, we will save our customers a billion dollars by having a joint project,” Lowery added, echoing Buhman’s claim on the savings.
“The taxpayer is the winner here. We are saving a lot of money,” said Leah King, TRWD Board President.
Lowery revealed that the new pipeline would help the Dallas Water Utilities provide sufficient water for businesses and organizations dependent on the DWU.
“One of the first things they do is come to see us and say, ‘Do you have the capacity to meet my needs to produce XYZ?’ And so, yes, we do.” Lowery said during the ceremony.
The IPL will increase TRWD’s capacity to pump additional raw water back to its wholesale customers, including those in Fort Worth, Arlington, Mansfield, and the Trinity River Authority.
While speaking at the ceremony, Buhman said residents and businesses served by this project would not be part of the two billion people worldwide who do not have access to clean water. However, the city of Dallas still needs to complete a couple of sections of the pipeline specific to its needs. The sections are expected to be completed by 2027.