Transformative Expansion of the City of Houston Northeast Water Purification Plant
The Challenge
The City of Houston's Northeast Water Purification Plant (NEWPP) expansion is a major infrastructure project built to meet growing demand for fresh drinking water and the mandate to reduce dependence on groundwater sources. The expansion more than triples the plant's output, increasing capacity to 320 million gallons per day of treated water. That scale-up demands robust, reliable pumping for the aggressive chemicals used in treatment, including fluoride, hydrofluosilicic acid, liquid ammonium sulfate, caustic soda, and sodium hypochlorite (Aquachlor), stored in 50,000-gallon bulk tanks that require fail-safe containment against catastrophic failure and environmental contamination.
The Solution
Engineers selected Vanton pumps for two critical applications:
- Sump-Gard vertical centrifugal pumps in the bulk chemical storage tank containment sumps, a reliable fail-safe that handles potential spills or leaks of hazardous chemicals if a tank fails.
- Chem-Gard horizontal centrifugal pumps as transfer pumps, moving treatment chemicals from bulk storage to the smaller day tanks used in the treatment process.
The selection rested on quality of manufacture, durability under harsh water-treatment chemical service, and construction materials specifically chosen to resist the corrosive effects of the full range of purification chemicals.
The Results
Integration of the Vanton pumps into the NEWPP expansion has been seamless, with the pumps performing critical containment and transfer roles. Their reliability has contributed to the project achieving its expanded capacity goals while protecting the safety and integrity of the treatment process, a pivotal step in the City of Houston's effort to deliver sustainable, reliable drinking water to a growing population.
What scale is the NEWPP expansion?
The expansion more than triples the plant's output, raising capacity to 320 million gallons per day of treated drinking water, reducing the region's dependence on groundwater.
Which chemicals do the Vanton pumps handle?
Water treatment chemicals stored in 50,000-gallon bulk tanks, including fluoride, hydrofluosilicic acid, liquid ammonium sulfate, caustic soda, and sodium hypochlorite (Aquachlor).
Where are Vanton pumps used in the plant?
Sump-Gard vertical centrifugal pumps sit in the bulk chemical storage tank containment sumps as a fail-safe against tank failure, and Chem-Gard horizontal centrifugal pumps transfer treatment chemicals from bulk storage to the smaller day tanks.
Why were Vanton pumps selected?
Quality of manufacture, durability in harsh water-treatment chemical service, and construction materials chosen specifically to resist the corrosive effects of the chemicals used in purification.