Case Study

The Water Control Improvement District in Hebbronville, Texas faced an urgent challenge: arsenic levels in the municipal water supply exceeded the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). Arsenic measured at 0.031 mg/L, far above the required 0.005 mg/L standard. Because arsenic is classified as a primary health-based contaminant, addressing the issue was not only a regulatory mandate but also a critical public health priority.
At the time, the district operated three treatment plants built on aging Electrodialysis Reversal (EDR) technology. Only one plant remained operational, leaving the entire community dependent on a single, outdated system. This presented a severe risk: a failure at the remaining plant would have resulted in both noncompliance and water supply disruption for over 1,800 service connections.
The district also faced high operating costs, limited vendor options for parts and servicing, and increasing water quality concerns, including rising levels of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). A reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable solution was urgently needed to protect residents, restore compliance, and secure the long-term resilience of the water system.ded the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). Arsenic measured at 0.031 mg/L, far above the required 0.005 mg/L standard. Because arsenic is classified as a primary health-based contaminant, addressing the issue was not only a regulatory mandate but also a critical public health priority.