Essential Steps in the Water Treatment Process

Water is essential for every community. Achieving this requires thoughtful planning, innovative design, and a dedicated water engineering team that understands the full water process. Whether it’s the management of rain events, the provision of safe drinking water, or the protection of the environment from wastewater’s potential adverse effects, these professionals ensure water systems meet all health, safety, and environmental regulations while optimizing performance and sustainability.

Understanding the Drinking Water Process

The water treatment process begins long before clean water reaches homes and businesses. Each step, from raw water source to disinfection, requires precision, planning, and compliance. At Pape-Dawson, we integrate permitting, design, and operations to ensure that every water treatment plant functions efficiently and sustainably. Whether it’s a groundwater system project such as the one we completed for South Comal Water Supply Corporation or work for a regional facility like the Alliance Regional Water Authority and its 19.5-MGD water treatment plant, our team applies a disciplined approach that anticipates technical challenges, coordinates permitting and compliance early, and delivers efficient, reliable systems that serve communities for years.  

As a leading civil engineering company, Pape-Dawson has led some of the most complex and impactful water supply projects in Texas. Our experience with regional utilities and local agencies provides valuable lessons that can be applied nationwide.

Cleaning Wastewater to Protect the Environment

Whether the final disposition of the wastewater effluent is discharge to a waterway, irrigation, indirect reuse, or final reuse, the wastewater treatment process must be carefully considered and designed. Pape-Dawson has successfully completed the balance between the level of treatment and design considerations. We design the processes from raw influent screening through liquid/solid separation, biosolids disposal, and effluent disinfection and final pumping of the highly treated effluent. We have successfully navigated the permitting process and delivered wastewater as the second type of water for beneficial use.

Reclaiming Wastewater as a Resource

The wastewater process is equally as crucial as water treatment, ensuring that used water is safely returned to the environment or reclaimed. Today, more and more communities are recognizing treated wastewater as a valuable resource for water supply to users who require large amounts for irrigation and cooling. Our team developed one of the largest reclaimed water systems in the state of Texas before the reclaimed water “trend” really took hold. Our team designs primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment, helping to remove contaminants and restore water to meet environmental standards.

When Water Becomes Excessive – Managing Stormwater

The third type of water firmly integrated into the Pape-Dawson water team is stormwater. We are industry leaders in large-scale flood risk studies utilizing advanced hydrologic and hydraulic modeling to deliver sustainable, cost-effective infrastructure solutions. Our team creates innovative strategies for urban drainage, floodplain management, and long-term planning—reducing risk, saving resources, and strengthening communities. With decades of experience in planning, design, and permitting, we’ve helped make over $2 billion in infrastructure resilient to flooding, creating lasting economic benefit in the communities where we live and work.

Conveying a Valuable Resource

Our successful implementation of conveyance systems for both water and wastewater involves our strong relationships with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We’ve completed environmental reviews and consultations for large-scale projects, such as the historic Vista Ridge Regional Water Supply Project, within accelerated timeframes. This regulatory expertise ensures that every wastewater facility we design and support is both technically sound and environmentally responsible.

Expediting the Process

Delivering effective, high-quality water treatment engineering services requires coordination at every level, from design and permitting to construction and commissioning. Pape-Dawson’s team provides this integrated delivery model, supporting clients from concept through commissioning, streamlining schedules, controlling costs, and maintaining compliance.

The firm’s role in the Vista Ridge Regional Water Supply Project, a 142-mile system crossing seven counties, demonstrates this capability. As program and construction manager, Pape-Dawson led permitting, land acquisition, design, and startup, completing the program from feasibility to production in just over four years. Likewise, for the Alliance Regional Water Authority, our team provided construction management for an 85-mile conveyance system and treatment plant expansion designed to increase capacity by 19.5 MGD. These projects illustrate how a trusted civil engineering company can deliver complex water infrastructure on time, on budget, and in full regulatory alignment

Sustainable Solutions for Growing Communities

Today’s communities face the challenge of balancing growth with conservation, of protecting valuable infrastructure and property from catastrophic events, of using every drop of water possible to maintain vibrant, healthy communities. Understanding the water cycle in a holistic approach, maximizing use of water by matching use to type and treatment of rain, raw and treated wastewater, is a cornerstone of the Pape-Dawson water team. Pape-Dawson’s water team partners with municipalities, developers, and regional utilities to create resilient systems that conserve resources and promote long-term reliability.

Our leadership in statewide water policy, particularly in cross-basin transfers, infrastructure funding, and regional planning, enables us to help clients anticipate future demands. Our working relationships with regulatory agencies, water supply companies, and local governments allow us to align projects with both technical standards and political realities.

Commitment to Clean, Safe Water

Pape-Dawson’s water resources services are designed to address complex challenges in water management and infrastructure. Our team of professionals specializes in water supply and production facilities design, lift station design, modeling and master planning, municipal utility districts, and more. Whether you need assistance with permitting, wastewater treatment plant permitting and design, or asset management, Pape-Dawson is equipped to provide innovative solutions tailored to your project’s needs. Partner with us to ensure your water resources are managed efficiently and responsibly for long-term success.