Interesting Facts About DWU

City of Dallas Water Utilities is a not-for-profit department of the City of Dallas providing water and wastewater services to about 2.4 million people in Dallas and 27 nearby communities. Its operations are funded solely by the water and wastewater rates paid by customers. Customers’ water use is metered to ensure accurate billing.

Year founded: 1881

Population served:
1,200,530 in Dallas
988,773 in wholesale customer cities (treated water)
207,247 in wholesale customer cities (untreated water)

Number of wholesale customers:   23 treated water, four untreated water, 11 wastewater

Size of service area:   699 square miles

Water supply: surface water from six reservoirs — Lewisville, Grapevine, Ray Hubbard, Tawakoni, Ray Roberts, Fork

Water treatment plants:   three — East Side, Elm Fork, Bachman

Water treatment capacity:   900 million gallons a day

Record day water use:   789.6 million gallons, September 4, 2000

Water pump stations:   22

Water storage tanks:   21 — 9 elevated, 12 ground

Miles of water main:   5,166

Treated water provided in 2010-11:   156 billion gallons

Wastewater treatment plants:   two — Central and Southside

Wastewater treatment capacity:   260 million gallons a day

Wastewater pump stations:   15

Miles of wastewater main:   4,364

Wastewater treated in 2010-11:   52.8 billion gallons

What is wastewater?
Wastewater is the used water that goes down the drain in homes and businesses. Dallas wastewater collection system is separate from the storm sewer system, and storm water is not treated.