The Integrated Pipeline Project, a 150-mile-long water transmission system being built by two North Texas water suppliers, recently received the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure’s Envision Platinum Award. The Tarrant Regional Water District and the city of Dallas were presented Envision’s highest level of achievement award by ISI President Bill Bertera during TRWD’s July 19 board meeting.

The IPL project is the 14th project in North America, and the first Platinum-awarded pipeline, to receive an ISI Envision rating award. The ISI Envision system measures sustainability in infrastructure projects in five categories: quality of life, leadership, natural world, resource allocation and climate and risk. These contribute to overall credits for the positive social, economic and environmental impacts in a community in the planning, design and construction of infrastructure projects.

“This project represents the first regional water supply partnership of this scale in Texas and goes beyond cooperation to planning, implementation and sharing of assets,” says ISI President and CEO Bill Bertera. “Their leadership in these sustainable areas sets a high level of infrastructure precedence and is well-deserving of the Platinum award level.”

The pipeline, which will help meet water demands in rapidly growing Tarrant, Dallas and surrounding counties, extends from Lake Palestine in East Texas to Lake Benbrook just south of Fort Worth. By sharing resources, TRWD and the city of Dallas will save an estimated $500 million in capital expenses and potentially more than $1 billion over the life of the project.

“We are very pleased that the Integrated Pipeline Project has received this Platinum recognition from the ISI,” says Rachel Ickert, TRWD’s water resources engineering director. "Sustainability is a mindset. It's who we are and how we approach projects and operations. It's about doing the right projects and doing them the right way considering life cycle costs, the communities we serve, and the environment."

The IPL Envision assessment was completed in cooperation with Elizabeth Blackwelder of Freese and Nichols and Nathan D. Maier Consulting Engineers.