Case Study – Enabling Scalable Off-Grid Development Infrastructure : Modular Water Systems

Modular Water Systems Enables Texas Housing Developer to Overcome Barrier to Scaling

Inability to Meet Environmental Quality Regulations Had Halted Construction

Consulting Engineer and System Operator, Jimmy Moon, a 35-year water industry veteran, tells the story of how Modular Water Systems’ (MWS) plug and play EveraSKID Wastewater Treatment solution solved Munson Point’s stalled development project, and did it with authority! Along with a brief introduction of the system by MWS Chief Engineer, Daniel Early P.E., you can hear what Jimmy has to say about how rapidly and ably MWS solved the problem in this short video presentation.

THE PROBLEM

Munson Point’s existing wastewater treatment system was dilapidated and failing to perform to the required standards, placing them out of compliance with Texas regulations. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) had issued multiple Notice of Violations and prohibited construction of further homes in that sub-division, which left many undeveloped, prime parcels stranded.

Due to the area being far from municipal public sewer, an onsite wastewater treatment system is a practical solution, However, the short life-cycle and failure rate of conventional concrete and steel constructions was impractical. The prospect of building an in-kind system to replace the existing one would not only have been too costly, but would involve a drawn-out timeline, making it an unviable option. The developers required a new treatment system to get in compliance with TECQ and they needed it FAST. The consulting engineer for the project, wisely, contacted Modular Water Systems (MWS) for a recommendation.

THE SOLUTION

Based upon the requirements to get the site into compliance with TCEQ regulations quickly, MWS recommended its EveraSKID, the EVS 10K-MBR 10, 000 gallon per day (GPD), Membrane BioReactor (MBR) Treatment System as an excellent equipment solution for this project. (EVS) 10, 000 Gallon Per Day (GPD) MBR Treatment System as an excellent equipment solution for this project.

The  EveraSKID is factory assembled so that it ships as a finished product that is ready for immediate use once installed at its final site destination. In other words, it’s a “Plug and Play” system that commissions in less than one day!

Aside from the advantages of the EveraSKID being a prepackaged, single-point-of-delivery solution it also delivers to its end-user customers three to four times the life cycle of conventional concrete and steel constructions; because its corrosion-resistant, thermoplastic construction is superior to comparative methods. And finally, despite already competitive initial costs, the long term cost comparatives left any competition in the dust!

THE RESULT

Obviously, The EVS 10K-MBR is an excellent choice for land development projects that require rapidly deployable robust wastewater treatment systems. In this case, the system performed so well that the customer has applied for wastewater re-use permits based on the level of purity of effluent produced by the system. And the developers of the sub-division? They’re industriously building additional houses on those no-longer-stranded prime parcels!

This EveraSKID EVS 10K-MBR Wastewater Treatment System has been approved by the TCEQ for its ability to reliably meet or surpass effluent standards.

SYSTEM COMPONENTS

THE TECH BEHIND MEETING EFFLUENT STANDARDS

Based upon the effluent standards required, the EVS 10k-MBR has a capacity of 10,000 gallons per day and employs MBR technology for the best results. The system is designed to treat the specific influent flow rate and organic loading to produce an effluent that meets and exceeds the maximum stipulated effluent conditions. The following table reflects Munson Point’s influent data and the specified effluent requirement.

Constituent	Influent	Effluent (max)
Flow Rate	10,000 GPD (ADF)	—
BOD5	350 mg/L	< 10 mg/L
TSS	350 mg/L	< 10 mg/L
NH3	50 mg/L	< 10 mg/L (NH3)
Phosphorous	10 mg/L	NA
pH	6.5 to 8.5	6.5 to 8.5
Fats, Oils, Grease	< 10 mg/L	NA
DO	NA	> 4 mg/L
Fecal Coliform	Typical	< 126 N/100 mL

GPD-Gallons Per Day , ADF-Average Daily Flow
BOD-Biological Oxygen Demand is a measurement of the amount of dissolved oxygen (DO) that is used by aerobic microorganisms when decomposing organic matter in water. When BOD levels are high, dissolved oxygen levels decrease because the oxygen that is available in the water is being consumed by the bacteria.
BOD₅-BOD is measured in a water sample during 5 days of incubation at 20℃, known as BOD₅
TSS-Total Suspended Solids is the dry-weight of suspended particles, that are not dissolved, in a sample of water that can be trapped by a filter that is analyzed using a filtration apparatus.
NH3-Ammonia is an inorganic chemical compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula NH ₃.
DO-Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a measure of how much oxygen is dissolved in the water – the amount of oxygen available to living aquatic organisms.

ADVANCED MEMBRANE BIOREACTOR

An advanced membrane bioreactor (MBR) reflects the use of concentrated Activated Sludge Aerobic Biological treatment with a liquid-solids separation filtration system in a single-stage process.

An MBR combines biological treatment and membrane filtration to produce high-quality effluent from wastewater. In the system, raw wastewater enters an aeration tank where microorganisms break down organic matter. Air is bubbled through to supply oxygen, enabling the microbial community to metabolize pollutants. The mixed liquor then passes through semi-permeable membranes, which retain suspended solids, biomass, and pathogens while allowing clean water to pass through. The filtered water, or permeate, is collected for reuse, and excess biomass is periodically removed. MBRs offer high-quality effluent with low turbidity and pathogen levels, a compact design, and effective nutrient removal. They are ideal for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment and various water reuse applications, providing a flexible and scalable solution.

By comparison to conventional Activated Sludge and IFAS Systems, the MBR eliminates the need for gravity secondary clarification systems, sludge return systems, sludge blanket monitoring and control processes. This reduces operator requirements (manual labor) while ensuring the highest level of effluent compliance performance. The MBR System also reflects Tertiary Treatment System Capability which allows the produced effluent, once disinfected, to be utilized for secondary purposes such as irrigation water, landscape features, and dust control systems, etc.

For a conventional Activated Sludge System or IFAS System to achieve Tertiary Level Performance, those systems must be upgraded to include additional effluent filtration systems. The MBR combines does all of this in a single step process without the need for additional equipment and electro-mechanical complexity.

OPERATOR TRAINING AND FEEDBACK

After MWS commissioned the system in February of 2022, the System Operator, Jimmy Moon was trained on its detailed system operating manuals, which are standardly provided with every Modular Water System. Our process includes onsite apprenticeship and quality assurance where we subsequently interviewed Mr. Moon on follow-up at the job site.

KEEPING UP THE TRADITION

Known as The Grape Man of Texas*, Thomas Munson became one of the leading experts in native, American grape species, and his studies were instrumental in saving the European grape and wine industry from disaster during the late nineteenth century.**

Much like Thomas Munson’s breakthrough developments in horticulture helped save the European wine industry from devastation, Modular Water Systems’ next generation prepackaged, advanced wastewater treatment systems are routinely delivering the essential wastewater infrastructure difference to salvage a rapidly growing number of businesses and communities. And this is how it was done at this Munson Point housing development in Denison, Texas!

MUNSON POINT
HISTORICAL INTEREST

Home of Thomas V Munson, a Texas historic landmark.

The Munson family of Texas has a history dating back to the early 1800s with many colorful chapters So, it’s with good reason the site of this case study is named Munson Point. It was the home of world-famous Thomas V. Munson who settled in Denison in 1876 where he developed extensive nurseries. His brothers William Benjamin Munson and J. T. Munson also lived in the area. Munson built his Victorian home, pictured above, in 1887.

*Grayson College Online Publications
**Because of Munson’s role, the French government in 1888 sent a delegation to his home in Denison to confer on him the French Legion of Honor Chevalier du Mérite Agricole, only the second American to ever be so awarded. Munson also received numerous other awards and honors. Much of his work became the definitive source on grapes for horticultural authorities. In 1909 he published his Foundations of American Grape Culture which became the standard reference for grape culture in the United States. Munson continued to live in Denison with his wife and seven children until he died in 1913. Information sourced from The Munsons of Texas – An American Saga by Thurmond A. Williamson.