Massive Man-made Wetlands System Treats Wastewater

At first glance, the George Shannon wetlands system resembles most other low-lying marshes where water birds roost in old oaks and pelicans wade across shallow ponds. However, the 2,000-acre wetland system in Fairfield, Texas, has a secondary purpose: It slowly converts effluent-dominated water from the Trinity River into an additional 65 million gpd of drinking water that feeds into the Richland-Chambers Reservoir — a significant contribution given prolonged drought in the area.The George Shannon Wetland Water Reuse Project began as a small 2-acre test facility in the early 1990s, with the largest phase — an additional 1,600 — acres being