Published: 1/31/2016
Fort Sill, located in Lawton, Oklahoma, is on track to implement the state’s first non-potable reclaimed water project. According to Colonel Glenn Waters, who is overseeing the project, construction is currently underway on infrastructure that will allow the Army Post to reclaim and reuse wastewater effluent, drastically reducing the amount of purchased potable water from the City of Lawton.
Fort Sill’s decision to implement a non-potable reclaimed water plan came from the federal government. An executive order issued in 2015 now requires all military installations to reduce potable water consumption by 2% a year for the next decade. “We are the largest potable water user in the region, and we don’t want to stay that way,” Waters said. “This program will get us there.”
Treated wastewater will be used to irrigate the base golf course, replenish a wash pit used to clean tanks, and apply to building foundations to prevent cracks during the driest months of the year. According to Water’s plan, the reclaimed water will initially be used to satisfy one-third of the post’s needs, but will eventually expand to meet the entire post’s non-potable demands. [1]
American Water, the contractor responsible for the installation of the conveyance infrastructure, began construction immediately after the Fort received a reuse permit from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. Currently, Fort Sill purchases 2 million gallons of drinking water per day from the City of Lawton. With the ability to already process its own wastewater (approximately 1.5 million gallons per day), the reuse project will treat nearly 800,000 gallons per day for eventual reuse.
Commenting on the project in an interview with the Lawton Constitution, Utility Manager Ronnie Graves of American Water explained that the monetary savings the Fort will receive is an added benefit compared to the value of water conservation. “We’re really trying to stop the misuse of drinking water. We’re putting this effluent to work in places that don’t require potable water,” Graves said. [2]
In an interview with the Journal Record, Oklahoma Water Resources Board Executive Director J.D. Strong implored other municipalities and rural water districts to study and follow Water’s leadership in developing sustainable water management projects. “Col. Waters is recognizing one of the best ways to drought-proof his installation. We all need to look at ways to decrease consumption and reuse and recycle every drop, “Strong said. [2]
[1] Terry-Cobo, Sarah. Fort Sill water reuse project is first in state. The Washington Times. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/dec/12/fort-sill-water-reuse-project-is-first-in-state/
[2] The Lawton Constitution. Fort Sill Water Reuse Project First in State. The Lawton Constitution. http://swoknews.com/local/fort-sill-water-reuse-project-first-state