The Fred Hervey Water Reclamation Plant is located in Northeast El Paso. It uses tertiary treatment to produce reclaimed water to drinking water quality level. Although not used for drinking (potable) purposes, the reclaimed water is re-injected into the Hueco Bolson through a series of injection wells and infiltration basins in northeast El Paso for aquifer replenishment. In 2010, more than 500 million gallons of reclaimed water were returned to the Hueco Bolson.
The Fred Hervey plant also supplies the El Paso Electric Company with approximately 900 million gallons of reclaimed water for their cooling towers on an annual basis. The Painted Dunes Golf Course, the second largest customer, uses approximately 200 million gallons of reclaimed water per year for course irrigation purposes. The City of El Paso's Northeast Regional Park uses approximately 25 million gallons per year for ball fields, playgrounds, and landscape. Other minor customers include the Bowen Ranch and several construction contractors that used approximately 32 million gallons of reclaimed water of the plant's total production of 1,740 million gallons in 2010.
The plant recently completed the last phase of a multi-year, multi-phased program to renovate and upgrade the plant to increase the treatment capacity from 10 to 12 million gallons per day and to meet new, more stringent permit requirements.
In 1994, the plant received the Public Information and Education Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA). Also in 1994, the plant placed second in the nation in the EPA Operations and Maintenance Excellence Awards Program in the No-Discharge Category, representing the State of Texas and EPA Region VI. In 1998, the plant was the recipient of the AWWA Conservation and Reuse Award Direct Program for a Large Utility. In 1999, the plant was recognized for Protection and Preservation of the Environment by the El Paso Del Norte Region Mission Possible – Survival Strategies. Beginning in 2006, the plant became eligible for the NACWA Peak Performance Awards and has now received four Gold Awards for perfect permit compliance.