Washburn Tunnel Wastewater Treatment Facility WASHBURN TUNNEL & Vince Bayou Receiving Station WASTEWATER TREATMENT Location: Pasadena, TX, on the FACILITY & VINCE BAYOU Ship Channel RECEIVING STATION

Process: Activated sludge with atmospheric and pure oxygen infusion (Washburn Tunnel)

Capacity: 48 million gallons/day (Washburn Tunnel)

an early demonstration of the effectiveness and viability of wastewater treatment on a regional scale.

plants, bulk storage facilities and other local industries located along the . The facility also treats municipal wastewater from the City of Pasadena Receiving Station.

waste by barge. Wastewater containing high concentra- tions of organic material goes through a two-step activated sludge treatment process involving oxygenation and aera- with higher-content organic waste streams before the remove much of the remaining solids. The treated waste- is discharged into the Houston Ship Channel.

Gulf Coast Authority Gulf Coast Authority The diverse, complex nature of wastewater treated at 910 Bay Area Blvd. Houston, 77058 Washburn Tunnel has helped produce a robust mixture Protecting the waters of the State of Phone: 281.488.4115 www.gcatx.org of contaminant-consuming microorganisms. Each year, Texas through environmentally sound Washburn Tunnel is called upon by other treatment and economically feasible regional facilities in the Area to provide sludge waste management practices for re-seeding plants whose microorganisms have been killed or weakened as a result of a shutdown or unexpected incident. Gulf Coast Authority request of the City of Houston and the State of Texas to GCA staff are experts in wastewater treatment and industrial solid waste management. its mission of protecting the waters of the state of Texas for treatment at Washburn Tunnel. Municipal June 2017 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill Favorable economies of scale save money and chemical toilets, septic tanks, equipment/parking lot Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority to Gulf Coast wash-down streams and some industrial non-hazardous wastewater. by GCA preserves regional services GCA provides, including industrial and municipal wastewater treatment, solid waste and Washburn Tunnel personnel actively participate in to issue bonds for other water systems, all of which promote economic local community advisory panels to promote community development statewide. communication. GCA fees are an operating expense, rather than a wastewater treatment facilities serving over 80 industrial GCA responsible for permits customers in the Houston - Gulf Coast area and in the and dealing with regulators. Permitted to treat industrial and municipal facility serving the City of Friendswood, a small part of Synergistic effects of multiple-stream wastewater provide regional municipal and industrial wastewater wastewater treatment plant treatment solutions also apply to water treated under serving the Cedar Bayou Park from one stream provides can provide nutrients for microorganisms treating other streams.” station for trucked-in non- Economies of scale since multiple customers share treatment and permitting costs rather than bearing Core values Strategic location in Houston Ship Channel. Central Laboratory accredited Has barge access for off-loading wasterwater. Stewardship of the environment and of the health by the National Environmental Accepts trucked-in portalet and other non-hazordous Laboratory Accreditation wastewaters. Communication—open, honest, frequent—with all Program (NELAP) that tests incoming wastewater, Reliability—ensuring that our operations are safe, treated water before discharge and samples from Why communities and industries contract outside customers. with GCA Integrity of our staff who operate in a simple, clear, Planning to ensure continuity of service, innovation, to permit the treatment of water that falls outside of industrial wastewater settings. The bill granted the Industrial Teamwork to foster trust, commitment, enthusiasm Authority the same powers with regard to the acquisition, Favorable economies of scale save money and and innovation. construction, and operation of such water systems that it has with regard to disposal systems. Water systems What makes GCA function so well are the dedicated covered by the legislation include pipelines, conduits, employees, managers and board members who do their canals, pumping stations, force mains, plants storage very best, every day, to protect the waters of the State and other facilities used for the treatment, collection or of Texas and work with our customers and government distribution of water treatment, collection, disposal or GCA fees are an operating expense, rather than a distribution. envy of the nation. GCA responsible for permits and dealing with