San Marcos Water Treatment Plant Earns Eighth-Consecutive TCEQ Award

San Marcos Water Treatment Plant Earns Eighth-Consecutive TCEQ Award
SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) water treatment operation at the City of San Marcos Water Treatment Plant (SMWTP) has earned the Texas Optimization Program (TOP) Award from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for the eighth year in a row. SMWTP received the recognition for exceeding rigorous industry requirements for 12-consecutive months in each of the last eight years, placing it among the top one percent of water treatment operations statewide.
“As a regional water utility, we are committed to providing safe and reliable water to our customers,” said David Harris, Executive Manager of Operations at GBRA. “This eight-year award is a testament to the dedication of our San Marcos team and the hard work that goes into maintaining exceptional water quality.”
The Texas Optimization Program (TOP) sets goals for surface water treatment plants in removing potential pathogens (disease-causing microorganisms) from source water used for drinking. The TOP is a voluntary, non-regulatory program created to improve standards of existing water treatment. The program consists of only 21 of 385 water treatment plants in Texas, with a limited amount of participants awarded for delivering excellent performance.
“The City of San Marcos is proud of the GBRA staff and the commitment to excellence in maintaining the best quality of water for our citizens,” said Paul Kite, Assistant Director of Water and Wastewater Utilities for the City of San Marcos. “The continued determination and daily contributions from all involved to maintain this TOP status is valued.”
GBRA has operated SMWTP since 1999 and serves more than 65,000 citizens of San Marcos, as well as customers in Kyle, Buda, Sunfield Municipal Utility District, Goforth Special Utility District, and Monarch Utilities, L.P.
Co-owned by the City of San Marcos and GBRA, the SMWTP uses surface water from Canyon Reservoir to reduce the City’s pumping from the Edwards Aquifer by an average of 95 percent.
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About the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority
The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) provides reliable high-quality water and wastewater treatment services, conserves and protects the Guadalupe River Basin, generates hydroelectric power, manages recreational areas, offers laboratory services, and creates educational programming while planning for and supporting community growth and development. Established as a water conservation and reclamation district by the Texas Legislature in 1933, GBRA has evolved to serve as a leader and steward of the water resources across a 10-country statutory district. GBRA’s district begins near the headwaters of the Guadalupe and Blanco rivers and ends at San Antonio Bay, including Kendall, Comal, Hays, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Gonzales, DeWitt, Victoria, Calhoun and Refugio counties.