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Key Considerations When Building New Wastewater Treatment Facilities
Introduction
In this blog, Caliagua provides some of the lessons we have learned regarding construction of wastewater treatment facilities during the course of our 46 years in business.
Effective wastewater treatment is a critical element in protecting public health. Once clean, potable water has been used for its various purposes, a variety of contaminants, including bacteria, parasites, heavy metals, and other industrial chemicals enter the public water system (PWS). Different forms of wastewater pollution, from industrial effluent to residential and commercial sewage, to stormwater runoff require different strategies for effective treatment. Water treatment facilities are the public’s barrier from diseases (typhoid, cholera, and dysentery), viruses (for instance hepatitis A), and parasites (protozoa, and tapeworms). Likewise, untreated sewage attracts pests like flies and rats and turns local bodies of water into environmental hazards. Untreated wastewater is often high in nitrogen, which spurs algae blooms.
The latest projections indicate that Southern California’s future population growth will be slowing compared to historic highs. The estimated annual growth is pegged at an average of .1% per year between now and 2050. However, there is an expectation that environmental regulations may tighten, and older facilities may need to be replaced. This blog post will delve into the key considerations that must be considered when building new wastewater treatment facilities.
Site Selection
Placement Within the Community
The siting of wastewater treatment facilities in Southern California is governed by a complex web of federal, state, and local regulations that emanate from the EPA, State Water Board, and Regional Water Quality Control Boards. Each county and city in Southern California have its own specific zoning ordinances and environmental regulations that may affect the siting of wastewater treatment facilities.
Key regulatory requirements include:
- Compliance with water quality standards established by the EPA and State Water Board
- Meeting specific effluent pollutant limitations
- Local zoning and land use compatibility
- Completion of environmental impact assessments (air and water quality, noise, wildlife habitat)
- Impact on public health and safety
- Treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste
- Compliance with regulations related to facilities located in coastal zones.
The overall objective is to place these facilities in the community in a way that allows for efficient wastewater collection and treatment, while also minimizing the noise, odor, and visual pollution that a wastewater treatment facility is going to introduce.
Site Preparation
Once potentially suitable locations have been identified, it’s necessary to review soil and groundwater conditions to ensure long-term site stability.
Having selected a site that provides all these advantages, it’s time to prepare the land for construction. Two steps are involved.
Clearing and Grading: Removing vegetation, leveling the land, and constructing access roads are essential steps in preparing the site for construction.
Environmental Mitigation: Implementing erosion and sediment control measures, such as silt fences, sediment traps, and vegetative buffers, can help protect water bodies and minimize soil erosion.
Collaboration
Collaborative design approaches are becoming increasingly prominent in the construction of wastewater treatment facilities. Several factors are at work here.
Modern wastewater treatment plants are complex, multi discipline projects. It’s infrequent to find individual companies that house all the required expertise. Instead, several commonly used collaborative design approaches are leveraged. These include Design-Build (discussed in a previous Caliagua blog) Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) methods.
- Early Involvement: The construction manager is involved early in the design phase, providing valuable input, and helping to identify potential risks and cost-saving opportunities.
- Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP): The construction manager commits to delivering the project within a predetermined budget, known as the GMP. This provides the owner with greater certainty regarding the project’s overall cost.
- Risk Transfer: The construction manager assumes a significant portion of the project risk, including the risk of cost overruns and schedule delays.
One California example of use of CMAR is the Stockton Regional Wastewater Control Facility, completed in 2018.
Integrated Project Delivery
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IPD is another commonly used delivery method. Collaboration among all project stakeholders, including owners, designers, contractors, and subcontractors improves project outcomes, reduces costs, and minimizes risks. IPD has three key characteristics.
- Involvement of all the project’s key stakeholders begins early and is continuous. It starts with the initial planning stages and extending through project completion.
- A working culture which is both collaborative and cooperative. Risks and rewards are shared among all stakeholders.
- Contracts are structured to promote teamwork and support shared decision-making.
- Of the two delivery models, IPD is more focused on facilitating efforts between organizations whereas CMAR is more focused on instilling more collaboration of team members within a single organization, while also instilling better collaboration between the GC, design firm and subs.
Although not termed as such, one successful example of IPD applied to a wastewater project is the Terminal Island Water Reclamation Plant. The collaborative efforts among multiple stakeholders, including the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering, Stantec, Parsons, and MWH (now Stantec Consulting), focused on integrating design and construction phases to streamline the project. This initiative successfully expanded water recycling capacity and incorporated innovative treatment technologies, contributing to sustainable water management. This project was completed in 2017.
Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)
A PPP is a contractual arrangement between a government entity (public sector) and a private sector entity. PPP’s leverage private sector expertise and capital to deliver critical public infrastructure projects. One local example is the Orange County Government Center, in Santa Ana. Completed in 2017, this project involved a $400 million investment to modernize and revitalize Orange County’s seat of public administration.
Several types of PPPs have been used to build wastewater treatment plants for instance. In Phoenix, AZ, the Lake Pleasant Water Treatment Plant was built using a Design Build Operate Model in which a single private sector entity is responsible for the design, construction, financing, and operation of the wastewater treatment facility.
Built Operate Transfer
The Yantai Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (coastal city in the Shandong Province, China) was built-using the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) delivery model.: The private sector entity designs, builds, finances, and operates the facility for a specified period, after which ownership is transferred to the public sector.
Regulatory and Environmental Compliance
Regulatory and environmental compliance is another preliminary issue that Caliagua addresses early in the lifecycle of a wastewater project. Addressing this issue properly will eliminate many potential issues such as legal liabilities, project delays, damage to your firm’s reputation, conflict with local communities and challenges regarding insurance coverage.
To stay sure-footed regarding compliance, Caliagua stays informed and up to date regarding changes to regulations and industry standards. We also emphasize employee training on topics such as safety procedures, and emergency response plans. On an as-needed basis, we will also enlist the support of environmental consultants and outside engineers. Lastly, we actively monitor, document, and maintain accurate records on all related issues.
Permitting Process:
In this highly regulated industry, Caliagua has to navigate through three tiers of local, state, and federal agencies and regulations.
Federal Regulations
Federal regulations include.
- Clean Water Act: This is the primary federal law governing water pollution. It sets water quality standards and regulates point source discharges, including wastewater treatment plants.
- Safe Drinking Water Act: While primarily focused on drinking water, the SDWA can indirectly impact wastewater treatment, particularly in cases where treated effluent is used for beneficial purposes like irrigation.
- Clean Air Act: This act regulates air emissions, which may be relevant during construction or operation of the plant, especially if it involves on-site energy generation or other emission sources.
State and Local Regulations
- State Water Quality Control Boards: State-level agencies regulate water quality and often have more stringent standards than federal regulations.
- Local Zoning Ordinances: These ordinances govern land use and development, including the siting and construction of wastewater treatment plants.
- Building Codes: Local building codes establish standards for construction materials, methods, and safety.
Because the permitting process can take time, and impede the progress of our projects, we’ve developed a few habits that have paid off for us over the years. Owners & Consulting Engineers should stay current on the local, state, and federal regulations for wastewater treatment projects, including environmental impact assessments and zoning laws. When in doubt, engage early with the regulatory agencies to understand specific requirements and timelines. We are approaching fifty years in business. Over time, we have developed excellent working relationships with the local Wastewater agencies, consulting engineers, and permit agencies who can assist when called upon.
In order to stay informed on public policies that could affect permitting, our team can engage the stakeholder. In instances where we may not have a direct connection to the permitting officials, we will collaborate with stakeholders who do.
We know the saying, ‘the Devil is in the details,’ is true. To address any potential issues, wastewater agencies & the team of designers and engineers prepare detailed plans including site surveys, environmental impact assessments, design plans, and mitigation measures. The documents highlight how the project plans adhere to codes such as the Clean Water Act, stormwater management requirements, and other relevant regulations.
Last, experience has shown us that even with the best planning and proactive management, some delays are inevitable. Since that’s true, our timelines account for potential hurdles.
Conclusion
Building new wastewater treatment facilities is a complex undertaking that requires careful planning, design, and construction. By considering the key factors discussed in this blog post and working closely with experienced professionals, it is possible to build facilities that are efficient, sustainable, and compliant with environmental regulations.
We’d appreciate your feedback on the suggestions and ideas presented here. Likewise, if your agency or private firm is planning a related wastewater project in 2025, we’d appreciate an opportunity to provide our quote. Please contact Gus Bruner (gusbruner@caliagua.net), Cory Wolfrom (cwolfrom@caliagua.net), Ryan Ricard (rricard@caliagua.net), or Kari Mares (kmares@caliagua.net) with details.
Caliagua wishes you and your families a happy holiday season, and continued success in 2025!