CH2M HILL awarded water reclamation facility expansion project

 DENVER — The West Basin Municipal Water District (West Basin) awarded CH2M HILL engineering, design, and owner representative services for the Carson Regional Water Reclamation Facility Phase II Expansion Project. CH2M HILL was the engineer for the original recycled water treatment plant in the early 1990s. This is CH2M HILL’s first significant engineering project for West Basin since the original work.

The expansion project became necessary when the city of Los Angeles began experiencing water shortages from all major sources. It was essential to rethink existing and future water supplies to meet the demand of a population of more than 4 million individuals in the Los Angeles area. This water supply crisis prompted the city to publish “Securing L.A.’s Water Supply” in May 2008, developing a blueprint for sustainable sources of water for the future of the city with emphasis on recycled water. The Carson Regional Water Reclamation Facility Phase II Expansion Project will allow for the city and West Basin to provide over 13,000 acre-feet per year of recycled water to industrial users in the Los Angeles Harbor area, helping the city make the most of its limited water resources.

Phase II will expand the existing 6 million-gallon-per-day (mgd) plant by adding 12 mgd of biological nitrification processes with the potential of an additional 5 mgd in the future. CH2M HILL’s scope of work includes preliminary design and producing 30 percent design and a Request For Proposal (RFP) to procure a design-build contractor. CH2M HILL will continue as West Basin’s Owners Representative throughout construction and start-up. Many of the original project team members from the work that contributed to the original recycled water treatment plant will also be involved in this expansion project.

“West Basin Municipal Water District is one of the premier recycled water supply agencies in the United States, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with them again in developing a sustainable water supply for the city of Los Angeles. This project will allow the city to expand, grow, and be prepared for the future and their long-term water needs,” said Dave Jones, senior project and program manager at CH2M HILL.