1. OVERVIEW
2. WATER WELLS
3. GROUND STORAGE
4. ELEVATED STORAGE
5. DISTRIBUTION
6 SERVICES & METERS
7. BACKFLOW PROTECTION
8. QUALITY TESTING
10. CONTROL
OVERVIEW
The City of Perryton, Texas, obtains all of its water from the Ogallala aquifer. The Ogallala is an underground reservoir of water which begins in Nebraska and spans the plains states down to the bottom of the Texas Panhandle. It is noted for being the greatest single underground aquifer of good quality water in the world. This water supply is responsible for most of the grain crops grown in the United States. Without this supply, the price of most grain products would surely be astronomically high. In turn, this price would affect the price of cattle, pork and other food products. This aquifer is extremely important. The supply is obtained with 12 water wells, stored in three ground storage stations, pumped into the three elevated water storage tanks for pressure and is distributed through a 65 mile network of underground pipes of various sizes to 3,500 homes and businesses throughout the City. The City takes careful measures to test the quality of the water and goes to extraordinary means to protect that quality, both before it is pumped out of the ground and after it passes through the water meters.
WATER WELLS
Perryton utilizes 12 water wells to pump as much as 8,000,000 gallons per day from the aquifer
into the system's distribution system. These wells are located from the North side of town to the
furthest well some three miles South of Town. The City is constantly in a search for more and
better supplies of water. Although the City's Fathers have secured a good supply of water,
producing that water and protecting the supply remain paramount among the Water Department's
goals.
The City has two different kinds of well production units. The City utilizes both line shaft
turbines and submersible turbines. Both of these systems utilize virtually the same pump bowl
assemblies, but different motor assemblies. They also operate at different motor revolutions per
minute (RPM). The submersibles typically operate at 3,450 RPM while the line shafts operate at
1,750 RPM. The most notable difference between the two technologies is the motor location and
size. The line shaft motor is located on top of the ground and is very easy to see. The
submersible motor is located down the hole with the pump and cannot be seen. The line shaft is
called a line shaft because the pump may be 450 or 500 feet away from the motor. The is
connected by a series of long shafts that are held steady by centralizers or "spiders".
The well itself is typically constructed by simply drilling a large hole down into the earth to a
location where water is trapped by large amounts of sand and small gravel. Then a pipe (or
casing) with slits in it is placed from that location all the way to the surface of the earth. The
slits usually are located only in the areas where there is water or where water is thought to be.
The slits keep the sand and gravel out of the casing. The pipe with slits is called a screen.
Typically, this casing runs from the top of the ground to what is called the "red bed". This "red
bed" can be seen visually when traveling to Borger, Texas. This geological formation seals the
water from going any further down into the earth. This is called the "lower confining structure".
The pumps are located down in this casing and lift the water from the casing up and into the
ground storage tanks. They pass through meters so that every gallon can be counted and
accounted for. It is extremely important to know how much water is being pumped. In addition,
the amount of electricity used to pump this water is measured in order to determine the most
cost efficient methods of pumping water. At six of the twelve wells owned by the City,
chlorination is added at the well head itself. This ensures that the water is disinfected and the
chlorine has been mixed well all the way to the tanks. It also ensures that any bacterial
contamination growth is prevented from occurring in the collection lines from the wells to the
tanks. The other wells' water is chlorinated at the storage tank before it is pumped into the
distribution system.
The wells operated by the City utilize 480 Volt, 3 Phase power from Southwestern Public
Service (SPS) and North Plains Electric Cooperative (NPEC) . Currently, power from NPEC is a
little less expensive than that purchased from SPS. The City has three submersible wells and
eight line shafts. Well depths run from 300 feet deep to 650 feet and pump water from 350
gallons per minute (GPM) to 550 GPM.
The City utilizes ductile iron, asbestos cement (AC), Concrete Reinforced Steel (CRP) and
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) pipes to collect the water from the wells and transmit it to the storage
tanks. These pipes range in size with the largest being 14" in nominal diameter. The CRP is
such that the City cannot repair it or tap it. It requires the services of a specialized company to
come in and make a tap or make a significant repair.
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GROUND STORAGE
Perryton has three main ground storage locations where 1,850,000 gallons of water can be stored.
One is located on SE 24th Street and is known as South East Pump Station. South East Station
holds 1,000,000 gallons of water and is fed by nine of the City's twelve water wells. One is
located in Whigham Park and is known as Whigham Pump Station. Whigham Station holds
600,000 gallons and is currently filled by gravity from South East Station. The other is on N
Amherst Street and is known as North Pump Station. It holds 250,000 gallons and is fed by
only one well at this time. These storage tanks hold all the water that is pumped from the wells.
At each of these locations, chlorine is introduced to disinfect the water. Typically, no
disinfection is needed, but to ensure a safe supply, chlorination is accomplished anyway. In order
to disinfect the entire production system, the Water Department has embarked on a program of
chlorinating at the water well itself. Along with this and chlorination at the storage sites,
bacterial contamination is prevented.
These ground storage tanks are critical units in the City's operation. They provide storage for
peak demands and well as fire fighting capacity when necessary. As the level in those tanks are
diminished, the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) advises certain wells to
begin pumping to bring the tanks back into a full situation. If those wells cannot keep up,
additional wells are triggered to begin pumping. If those cannot keep up, even more wells are
triggered to come on until all wells are pumping in order to keep the tanks full.
This SCADA system is a new but critical member of the Perryton Municipal Water Supply. It
is a computer system which communicates by radio to all wells, tanks and pumps in order to
provide the Water Department with needed information and sophisticated control possibilities.
At each Ground Storage tank are located what are referred to as Service Pumps or Booster
Pumps. They are sometimes called booster pumps because they "boost" the water into the
elevated storage tanks or "boost" the pressure up in the water distribution system. These pumps
are controlled by the SCADA system. The SCADA monitors the levels in the Elevated Storage
tanks and then determines when to turn pumps on and off. The water is then taken from the
Ground Storage tanks by these service pumps and pumped up into the system.
The City has eight service pumps. Two large 1,500 GPM pumps are located at Southeast
Station. These particular pumps are operated by "Variable Frequency Drives" which are
specialized switchgear that manipulate the incoming power in such a way as to slowly bring the
pumps up to speed and to run them only at a speed necessary to produce the amount of water
necessary. These VFDs (as they are called) are quite magical in their operation. These two
pumps also have an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) or Electric Generator at the site to provide
power should the electricity fail for some unforeseen reason.
There are four service pumps at the Whigham Station. There is also an APU at this station, but
it must be operated manually instead of the completely automatic unit located at the Southeast
station. The North station has two service pumps and no APU.
ELEVATED STORAGE TANKS
From those ground storage locations, water is pumped into three elevated water storage reservoirs with a capacity of 770,000 gallons. One is located downtown in the Whigham Park Water Distribution Complex. This tank is about 50 years old and holds 200,000 gallons. One is located in the 1800 block of S Jefferson Street. It is 30 years old and holds 500,000 gallons. The other is located on the North Side of town at the intersection of Sante Fe and N Amherst. It holds 70,000 gallons and is almost 75 years old.
It is from these elevated tanks or water towers that the City derives its pressure. Each pound of
pressure requires that the water be held up 2.31 feet above the ground. In order to maintain 50
pounds of pressure per square inch (50 psig), the water must be 115.5' above the pressure gage.
The Water Department tries to maintain good pressure by ensuring that the water always remains
above the critical 85 foot level at all times. Because the levels in these elevated tanks are always
fluctuating as people use and consume the water, the pressure in the lines is always fluctuating as
well. The typical pressure may range from 35 pounds per square inch (psig) to as much as 70
psig. For the purposes of any sizing, be it new home construction or irrigation sizing, the City
always recommends that 35 psig be used. This is the pressure that the City is obligated to
provide and as such, the sizing should be based on that figure.
Maintenance of proper pressure is a critical responsibility within the water department. Various
measures are taken to ensure proper pressure at all times. As an example, the City utilizes a
special tool which allows the water department to cut into existing lines, insert a valve, all the
while maintaining the pressure in the system. Any significant drop in pressure could mean that
water could go from the house back into the water mains. This is a totally unacceptable
condition known as backflow and every effort must be made to prevent it.
It is toward this end (no pressure loss) that many of the department's efforts are focused.
Specialized equipment is used to make taps and insert valves and leaks are repaired while the
water is spraying in an effort to keep from shutting down the lines. Unfortunately, it sometimes
requires that lines be shut down and much flushing takes place afterwards in order to keep the
backflow from occurring. Many people assume that the department is simply "wasting" water by
flushing hydrants, but this activity is just another attempt to keep the water safe and clean for all
customers.
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DISTRIBUTION
The distribution system for the City of Perryton Municipal Water Supply (MWS) is made up of
various sizes and materials of piping placed underground along with valving and fittings. As part
of that piping, fire protection is also provided by the installation of fire hydrants along the
system in various locations. The pipes that make up the system are made up of various materials
including the latest technology for water supply pipes. That is the use of plastics. The City
currently utilizes Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC pipe for its new pipe. As a general rule and based
on size, PVC is also used when replacing or adding to existing lines. Smaller lines are typically
Polyethylene or PE. In order to ensure good fire protection and pressure protection from hammer,
the City's PVC pipe is Class 200 pipe. This is the only pipe rated by Factory Mutual (FM) for
fire protection purposes. Class 150 pipe is UL rated but does not meet the standards set out by
FM. Since fire protection is limited to 6" and larger pipes, 4" and smaller pipes used in the
system are typically PE. The new Water Poly (High Density Polyethylene "HDPE") meets new
standards and these may be used in the future. It provides excellent corrosion protection,
flexibility and handles water hammer well enough.
Whenever a new portion of distribution is added, such as when a new development goes in, the
new pipe must meet the new rules. This includes the installation of the system with no
"dead-ends." Dead-ends are sections of pipe which terminate with a single direction of flow. This
will occur if a pipe is run and then it just stops. This is not acceptable because the water tends to
stagnate and build up crud and debris over time. Although this build-up is not necessarily
harmful, it can cause odor problems, pressure degradation and can appear truly offensive. Because
of this, every effort is made to not allow dead-ends and to correct those areas where dead ends
currently exist. Each year, the City's Water Department is funded money to remove and correct
the dead-end areas.
Water main sizing is also critical. In the old days, it was not unusual for water mains to be no
larger than two inch (2") in diameter. This would normally handle most residential flows back in
those days. People had one bathroom and one sink. Today's homes have two and three
bathrooms, sinks in the kitchen and garage and irrigation systems on the outside. It is not that
unusual in Perryton to see a resident with a 2" service.
This requires that larger mains be utilized. The smallest new main the City allows is 6"
diameter. This handles most residential and commercial applications. In order to feed these lines,
even larger lines are used. Currently, the City has water lines that are as small as 2" in diameter
and as large as 12" in diameter. A recent industrial area design called for a new 14" line to serve
that area. As the community grows, larger and longer lines will be installed to meet the demand.
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SERVICES
Services are those pipes and fittings that connect the water main to the water meters. The meters
are those devices used by the City to determine usage by the customer. The City utilizes PE
pipe for services and brass and bronze connectors for all the fittings. When using PE, it becomes
necessary from time to time to use special fittings such as elbows (Ells) and T-shaped fittings
(Tees) to connect. With PE, these fittings are fused to the PE pipe. Special brass fittings are used
to connect the meter setter to the service line itself. The meter setter is a device which holds the
meter and disconnect valve as well as a check valve to ensure that any water which goes through
the meter does not come back out and into the main. Once the water goes through the meter, the
City cannot guarantee its quality so it is not allowed to come back. This is called backflow and
it is extremely hazardous.
The meters used by the City are what are referred to as Positive Displacement or PD meters.
They measure exactly what goes through them to a high degree of accuracy. Each meter has an
accuracy tag attached to it which tells the installer how accurate it is. Typically, these meters are
better than 99.5% accurate. Sizes are dependent upon need, but the typical residential meter is
what is called a 5/8 X 3/4 meter. This is a 10 gallon per minute meter which provides typically
all the water needed by the average household. In certain circumstances, larger meters are needed
for larger residences or irrigation purposes. The City recommends that separate meters be used for
irrigation purposes and pricing is better for those settings. The City provides meters is various
sizes including 5/8 X 3/4, 3/4SL (short length), 1", 1.5", 2", 3", 4" and 6". All new
installations include a check valve as part of the meter setter unless some other means of system
protection is provided by the customer.
It is not unusual for people to wonder how the water is hooked up or attached. It is really a very
simple process once it has been witnessed. The first thing that is done to establish the service is
to make a "tap." It is called a tap because the water department will "tap" into the main in order
to get the water.
The first step is a special "saddle" is attached to the main. This device surrounds the water main
and has a special fitting which allows a valve-type device or "stop" to be attached. This stop is
called a "corporation stop". The water industry calls these devices "stops" because they "stop"
the water. These are not really valves because they have a specific purpose. After the saddle is
attached, this corporation stop is screwed in and a tight seal is established. On to this stop, a
drilling machine is attached. Once it is tight, the corporation is opened and the drilling is done.
Because of the presence of water, the drilling is done by hand or by hydraulic motors. No
electricity is used. The design of the drill is such that no water can escape except that needed to
flush away cuttings. Once the drill has penetrated the main, the drill bit is withdrawn back into
the drilling mechanism and the corporation is closed. The drilling machine is removed and the
corporation is opened to flush away any debris. The tap is made.
The crew will then attach a Polyethylene (PE) tube from the tap up to where the meter can is to
be placed. They will then attached the PE tubing to a "meter setter" which is a copper and brass
device which holds the meter in place, has a "curb stop" to shut off flow, has a discharge check
valve which is used to keep water from backing up once it passes through the meter and a
connection so the homeowner or plumber can attach the house line. The curb stop is called that
because in many communities, it was located at the curb line. Again, it is a stop and not a true
valve. The customer IS required to provide their own valve on the house side of the meter so
water can be cut off for servicing the plumbing inside the home without disturbing the curb stop.
The City Water Department will be more than happy to show any group of people how this
tapping is done. Feel free to contact Richard Collins at (806) 435-4014 if you have a group
interested in a free demonstration.
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BACKFLOW PROTECTION
Backflow Protection is one of the biggest issues today. The City of Perryton takes backflow
protection very seriously and does everything it can to protect the water supply from
contamination. There are many people who do not understand what backflow is. Backflow is the
process by which water flows BACK into the system from a location because of a pressure drop
in the system or excess pressure in the offending locale. The concern is that the water that flows
back into the system may be contaminated. This cannot be allowed to occur.
This backflow is only bad if the material backflowing is bad. Since there is no way to know if it
is bad or not, nothing is allowed to backflow.
Back-siphonage is the process by which a lower pressure in the system exists and it pulls
materials into the system by siphonage or by process of atmospheric pressure.
A cross-connection is a physical connection of the water piping system to another system of
unknown quality. This can be another piping system such as the sewage system.
Reasons for these occurring are many, but there are a few that are pretty consistent offenders.
Whenever there is a fire or whenever the Fire Department is testing fire hydrants or fire trucks,
the pressure in the system can drop. This means that the pressure in the main may be less than
that in the home. If there is no way to stop it, the water in the home will flow back into the main.
Another offender is a main line leak. Many times, the leak is so severe that pressure must be
reduced in order to make repairs. Again, this can allow for backflow.
Back-pressure can occur when a process at a facility may build up additional pressure which may
be greater than that the pressure in the main and it can push contaminated water or chemicals
into the water system.
In order to prevent this, the City has a strong backflow protection program. This includes the
placement of check valves on each resident as time permits. All new construction and all
replacement of meter setters have these check valves. These are not fool proof (as fools are so
crafty) so other measures are also taken to protect the supply from known hazards.
Another part of the program is the ongoing plumbing inspection program. Along with the
normal plumbing inspections, all water connects are inspected to ensure that no backflow and
back-siphonage connections exist in a home.
Irrigation systems require an approved double check valve assembly to prevent any yard chemical
or runoff from getting into the water supply. New homes must have check valves on the hose
bibb connections. Hospitals, funeral homes and other locations with high-risk potential must
have approved Reduce Pressure Zone (RPZ) check assemblies to prevent the materials present in
their locations from getting into the water supply. These RPZ settings must be checked once a
year and the results from these tests must be filed with the City. The water Department goes to
tremendous lengths to protect the water supply system from backflow and back-siphonage. Those
persons who try to bypass these measures are breaking municipal, state and federal regulations.
In addition to these requirements, the City now requires that each water connection be inspected
when it is turned on. By this, we mean that the facility itself is inspected when the water is
turned on. When a person moves into a rent house, the place is inspected to ensure that no cross
connections exist. If they do, the person is instructed what to do to correct the problem. This
may be as simple as removing an offending device such as a hose hanging down into a sink, to
replacing valves in water closets. Each of these steps is taken to protect the water supply for the
customers of the water system.
Along with this inspection is an information program. Each home which has a check valve in its
water meter loop is considered a "closed loop" system. That is, once the water enters the home,
it cannot go back out. Although this protects the water supply from backflow and
back-siphonage, it also places an extra burden on the homeowner to ensure that no excess
pressure from "water hammer" or heated water expansion causes any trouble. The Plumbing
Code requires that each such "closed loop" system have a functioning pressure relief valve AND a
thermal expansion tank. The homeowner at each of these systems is advised of the "closed loop"
system and what the plumbing requirements are. If the system does NOT have a proper relief
valve, such as a water heater Temperature and Pressure (TNP) relief valve, the home is not
connected to the natural gas system to prevent thermal expansion. If pressure becomes a problem,
the homeowner MUST install the expansion tank.
The City Water Department takes it job of providing a good, steady, safe supply of water
serious. The backflow prevention program is not a small portion of the program. It is one of the
most important.
QUALITY TESTING
The City's water supply is tested constantly for various chemicals and contaminants. Some of
these are aesthetically offensive and other dangerous. This testing takes place throughout the
year. Each month, the City sends a minimum of nine water samples into the City lab in
Amarillo for bacteriological testing. The lab tests for total coliform. Coliform are not bad
bacteria, but their presence indicates that a complete disinfection did not take place and closer
scrutiny must take place. Whenever contamination s present, the public must be notified.
Perryton tries very diligently to keep disinfection practices ongoing and to date has not had to
report any bacterial contamination. Other sampling include inorganic tests. This includes things
such as hardness, iron, nitrates, fluorides, etc. Many of these are obnoxious chemicals, but some,
like nitrates, can have serious medical consequences. Other chemicals include organics such as
pesticides, solvents, gasoline, oils, etc. Perryton has none of these chemicals to report in its
water supply that is serves to the public.
The bacteriological testing requires specialized bottles. These bottles have been sterilized by the
laboratory in Amarillo. The City utilizes several sites around the community to test. As each
site is sampled, the sampler must take certain steps. First, the sample spigot must be sterilized
to ensure that it is not contaminated by someone's hands. Then water is flowed until enough has
passed to ensure that the sample is coming from the water main and not from the lines between
the main and the sample location. Then the sample is taken. The sample is marked with the
time and location of the sample. It is then packed in a special container and shipped to Amarillo
for analysis. These samples have to arrive within 30 hours of being obtained. After testing, the
results are sent back to the City. The City retains these records at City Hall and must report
them to the State each month.
The City also samples water for Lead and Copper. Most of this testing is complete. Over a three
year period, the City sampled 20 different locations several times. Each location provided one
liter of water each time. These 20 liters of water were then transported to Austin for analysis to
determine the lead and copper quantities. So far, no reportable quantities of lead or copper have
been discovered.
In addition to those samples, the State takes samples as well. They test for Volatile Organic Constituents or VOCs and Synthetic Organic Constituents or SOCs. These samples are sent to various labs in the State looking for pesticides, herbicides and various other organics and contaminants. As with the other tests, there have been no reportable quantities of these chemicals.
HARD WATER
The City's water supply is HARD! This means that the water has calcium and magnesium ions
in it which causes "lime" deposits to build up on fixtures and in clothes. The easiest and most
effective way for a customer to deal with this is to install and maintain a water softener. A water
softener is a mechanical device which is attached to the incoming water supply line and it treats
the water. It does this by exchanging sodium ions for the calcium and magnesium ions. The
sodium will combine with the base component of the ion to form a compound which does not
precipitate out into the water.
Customer's clothes will last longer, soaps will work, detergents will be extended and the
customer will be generally more satisfied with the water. These units require installation and the
City recommends that the customer utilize the services of a Master Plumber to do the
installation. The plumber can also provide a separate "hard water" hose bibb for irrigation
purposes.
WELLHEAD PROTECTION
The City has what is called a Wellhead Protection Program. In this program, the City has
inventoried everything within a certain distance of each well to determine what, if any, dangers
exist that could contaminate the well water. This distance is called a "5 Year" distance in that
anything that spilled within the boundary would theoretically reach the water table with 5 years.
This should give the City some time to take appropriate measures to secure additional water
supply, if necessary, or to take remedial action. This program and inventory must be constantly
updated. The City hopes to utilize the services of the RSVP community in the future to do these
inventories and to help protect the water supplies.
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CONTROL
Controlling such a large networks of pipes, services, wells and tanks takes quite a bit of effort. To help handle this task, the Perryton Municipal Water Supply utilizes a SCADA or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system.
This SCADA is made up of a combination of computer control and radio and telephonic communications. The computer controls everything from a central MASTER location at City Hall.
This computer is constantly monitoring the levels in the tanks and decides when to turn wells and service pumps on and which ones to turn on. It bases its decisions on various factors which have been programmed into it by the Water Supervisor. The system monitors well production flow and the amount of electricity consumed. Every effort is made to maximize the most efficient wells and service pumps in order to reduce operating costs.
The use of the SCADA has improved the level of service to the Perryton Municipal Water
customer without a corresponding increase in costs of service to the customer.
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For additional information concerning the Perryton, Texas, water supply, contact Richard
Collins, Water Supervisor at (806) 435-4014.
TRIVIA - The City produces about 500,000,000 gallons of water annually from the Ogallala
aquifer and sells about the same amount. The Lost and Unaccounted For (LNU) for the City of
Perryton is less than 5% and has stayed at that level since 1996. This is a reduction from 1985
when the LNU was 50%. The City's water Department is associated with the American water
Works Association (AWWA), the Texas Water Utilities Association (TWUA), The University
of Southern California Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research
(FCCCHR), Texas Municipal Utilities Association and other professional organizations. The
department is regulated by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC).
There are over 65 miles of mains, trunks and services in the City. There are over 250 fire
hydrants. Every standard residential water meter has been replaced within the last five years. The
department attempts to change meters that are over 8 years of age.
The City employs five full time people who are responsible for the water in Perryton. This
includes a supervisor and four operators. In addition, the water department is augmented by
other departments whom also employ certified Water Operators.
The City's water supply complies with all drinking water standards except that it enjoys and
abundance of naturally occurring Fluoride. The excessive amount of fluoride is responsible for
the "mottling" effect that some people will have on their teeth. Fluoride is a major factor in the
prevention of dental caries (or tooth decay) and is added to many water supplies. Perryton's
fluoride is naturally occurring and does not need to be added.
This page was constructed and last updated on August 6, 1997 by Ted B Return to TOP of Page