ODESSA, Texas — Important upgrades are coming to the Bob Derrington Water Reclamation Plant in Odessa.
Odessa City Council approved multiple maintenance an infrastructure updates to the plant at Tuesday's city council meeting.
Among them include a new pump and motor alongside the repair and rebuilding of the Aqua Guard Continuous Self-Cleaning Bar/Filter Screen.
“Our reuse pumps and motor that we're requesting from council, that's strictly just for a backup pump and motor," Interim Director of Utilities Alex Rowlett said. "Otherwise, the bar screen is just in a rehab state the life of that equipment, is extended its life.”
The self-cleaning bar comes in handy. Without it, sewage and other solids wouldn't be filtered out of Odessa's water.
“This is your incoming influent from all of the sewage that we accumulate from the city," Rowlett said. "It pretty much takes all your solids, any waste or anything like that that gets, flushed down the toilet or down the drains.”
Those updates aren't the only thing coming to the aging water plant, as important safety measures are also being added on.
“They're replacing two cranes, as in two overhead cranes. Those cranes need to be replaced, their life is extended past their working capabilities," Rowlett said. "Then the safety railing around our aeration basins. They will be working on putting some new fencing up, they need some new fencing just due to deterioration.”
With the approval at city council on Tuesday, Rowlett can start the process of getting all those repairs done.
“We're expecting to get the pump and motor in about eight to 12 weeks, so after the eight to 12 weeks, maybe a two week time to get them installed," Rowlett said. "Then the bar screen is going to be a little bit longer. It's got to go through a rehab process, so we're looking at probably six to nine months, depending on when, when they can get in and get a rehab.”