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<br />. <br />. <br /> <br />B. What is the Texas Optimization Program? <br />The state of Texas has a public water systems participation recognition program. The <br />program administrated through the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission is <br />called the Texas Optimization Program or TOPs. This program is completely voluntary <br />and is a way that the state of Texas can recognize plants that meet very demanding <br />pexformance criteria The program formally commenced on July 1, 1997. Plants that <br />participa~e~ ~ the charter year of the program and achieved the recognition criteria <br />continuously' since July would be eligible to receive the first recognition award in early <br />1998. To date, two facilities in the state of Texas have been rec.ogrUzed by the Texas <br />Natural Resource Conservation Commission to have met these requirements. They are <br />Brown County Water Improvement District # 1 and the City of Greenville, Texas. <br /> <br />The recognition program operates on 18-month cycles. By the end of the first cycle, <br />participants must achieve three objectives. Specifically, the plant must: <br />1. Install an on-line turbidity meter on the discharge line from each filter. <br />2. Meet the recognition criteria at least three.out of every six months. <br />3. Receive at least one optimization awarrl;.i.e., have met the recogniti~n criteria for <br />at least one consecutive six month period. <br /> <br />Participants who have not achieved the first objective by the end of the first cycle, will be <br />required to withdraw from the program Wltil the turbidimeters have been installed. <br />Participants who have met the first, but not both of the other two objectives, must either <br />withdraw from the program or agree to have an independent party conduct a <br />comprehensive pexformance evaluation CCPE) at the plant by the end of the 24th month. l <br />Participants who take active steps to address the pexformance limitations (limiting factors <br />that were identified during the CPE) can remain in the recognition program for a second <br />18 month cycle. However, participants who do not meet the three objectives during the <br />second 18 month cycle must withdraw from the recognition program for at least 12 <br />months. <br /> <br />l' <br /> <br />As soon as the plant meets the recognition criteria for six consecutive months, <br />participants will be eligible for the optimization award and the 18 month cycle begins <br />again. Since an award can be eamed each six month, a treatment plant can ep.rn two <br />awards each year if it meets the performance goals continuously. Figure 2 is a flow <br />chart that depicts the Texas Optimization Recognition Program milestones and <br />requirements. <br /> <br />The Texas Optimization Program recognition criteria is based on performance of four <br />treatment processes: <br />1. Sedimentation basins/clarifiers <br />2. Filters (excluding the post-backwash recovery period) <br />3. Filters (post-bad.-wash recovery period) <br />4. Finished water. <br /> <br />The performance goals for each of these processes is given in Table 1. The Texas <br />Optimization Program recognition requires the following turbidity monitoring locations: <br />1. Raw water entering the plant <br />2. Settled water at the end of the basin <br />3. Filtered water at the effluent of each filter <br />4. Finished water entering or leaving the clearwell. <br /> <br />..;. <br />