Garver partners with Aris Water Solutions, is invested in being at the forefront of advanced treatments for water reuse

Garver is partnering with Aris Water Solutions, a Houston-based company that develops and operates produced water infrastructure and recycling, on a multi-year pilot demonstration project that will help prevent the waste of billions of gallons of produced water in the Permian Basin. Garver led the design of the pilot treatment system, assisted in construction and startup, provided onsite pilot demonstration support, and more.

The Aris-led produced water pilot is supported by and in collaboration with the National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI), multiple oil and gas companies, and midstream operators. It is part of an industry-wide effort to recycle and reuse naturally occurring water contained in oil- and gas-bearing rock that is released as oil and gas are extracted, or “produced water.”

In their 2022 report to the Texas legislature, the Texas Produced Water Consortium noted as a key finding that if pilot testing projects could prove that produced water in the Permian Basin could be treated cost effectively and within the standards for public and environmental safety, billions of gallons of water could become available for agricultural and industrial uses that benefit the public. Now, thanks to robust pilot testing like the project led by Aris, this future opportunity is closer to being realized. It’s also making the news.

Garver continues to partner with Aris and work on larger scale designs as part of the ongoing effort to demonstrate successful treatment and safe reuse of the produced water at scale. This involves continued collaboration with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and with regulators in New Mexico to meet rigorous discharge standards.

Garver’s involvement in this forward-thinking produced water pilot is representative of the firm’s commitment to leading progress in the field of advanced treatment for water reuse. “We’re invested in helping communities and regions achieve water security through the development of treatment technologies for direct and indirect potable reuse,” said Water Process Team Leader Buddy Boysen, PE, PMP, “and you can see that in our reuse project experience and in the industry-leading reuse experts we have on our team.”

Garver has led reuse projects in states across the country. For example, in Texas, Garver is currently working with the City of Liberty Hill on an advanced water purification facility and with the City of Los Fresnos on a wastewater discharge reuse project. Garver also worked with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on the design and construction of a wastewater reclamation facility that can reuse or land apply all wastewater at the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. In Oklahoma, Garver partnered with the City of Norman to lead an indirect potable reuse pilot scale program at the Norman Water Reclamation Facility.

Garver experts have also influenced the industry through participation in professional organizations. In Arizona, for example, Water Practice Leader Zaid Chowdhury contributed to the regulatory framework of a forthcoming rule on advanced water purification, also known as direct potable reuse.

“We’re dedicated to protecting water supplies and resources and to making sure that water doesn’t go to waste, especially in the regions that suffer from drought,” said Director of Water Services Jeff Sober, PE, BCEE-WS/WE. “This partnership with Aris is just one of the ways that we’re driving the industry forward and finding solutions for our communities.”