Consent Decree

Tyler Water Utilities is making major improvements to the City's wastewater infrastructure as part of a long-term plan to modernize the system, prevent overflows, and meet federal regulatory standards. These upgrades include work on Tyler’s 718 miles of sewer mains, more than 11,000 manholes, and 22 lift stations. Much of this work is part of a Consent Decree agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which began in 2017 and extends through 2027.

The City is investing in projects that protect public health, support future growth, and ensure the system operates efficiently for decades to come.

Downtown Investment

In February, the Tyler City Council approved a $28.2 million investment to improve wastewater infrastructure in the downtown area. This project includes installing more than 18,000 linear feet of sanitary sewer lines between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Bryan Street. Pipe sizes will range from 6 to 42 inches to meet both current and future capacity needs.

2024 System Achievements

In 2024, Tyler Water Utilities advanced its long-term plan to modernize the wastewater system through targeted cleaning, inspections, and preventive programs. This work included:

• Serving approximately 111,678 residents with 708 miles of gravity sewer mains, 12,065 manholes, 21.3 miles of force mains, and 26 lift stations.

• Cleaning 233.1 miles of sewer mains, more than double the annual 100-mile target, by combining scheduled maintenance with additional cleaning in areas identified through inspections.

• Inspecting 857 manholes as part of the seven-year cycle, with resources focused on priority locations identified by condition assessments and ongoing projects.

• Reducing sanitary sewer overflows to 51, or 7.2 per 100 miles of pipe, moving toward the goal of fewer than 5.

• Completing 540 grease trap inspections across 498 registered traps, exceeding the annual inspection goal by 8 percent.

These improvements have helped the City reduce wastewater discharges from an average of 15 per 100 miles of pipe to fewer than 8 per 100 miles, benefiting both residents and the environment.

About the Consent Decree

On November 9, 2016, the City of Tyler approved a draft agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to upgrade the wastewater collection system and strengthen existing inspection, maintenance, and cleaning programs. The agreement, known as a Consent Decree, became effective April 10, 2017, and will last ten years.

Under the Consent Decree, Tyler Water Utilities is required to develop and implement a Capacity, Management, Operation, and Maintenance (CMOM) Program. This program provides a framework to better manage, operate, and maintain the wastewater collection system, identify areas with potential capacity constraints, and respond to unauthorized discharges.

CMOM Program Components

System Cleaning

• Clean every pipe in the sanitary sewer system at least once every ten years.

• Identify pipe segments that need more frequent cleaning, such as quarterly, biannual, or annual schedules.

Develop New or Updated Procedures

• Perform routine and preventive maintenance of the sewer system.

• Control grease and roots in the sewer system.

• Provide employee training.

• Respond promptly to sewer overflows.

Condition Assessment

• Conduct TV inspections and smoke testing of all 690+ miles of sewer mains.

• Perform visual and TV inspections of all 11,000+ manholes.

• Carry out visual and operational inspections of every pump and force main at all 23 lift stations.

• Schedule repairs or replacements for pipes, manholes, and pumps identified as needing upgrades.

Capacity Assessment

• Update the sewer system hydraulic model to assess capacity under multiple scenarios, including current and future wastewater flows and the reduction of infiltration and inflow from the system and private lateral lines.

• Schedule replacement of pipes or pumps identified by the model as undersized.

These efforts are building a stronger, more efficient wastewater system that protects public health, supports growth, and preserves environmental quality.