Outstanding Reclamation Facility For 2013
In May 2013, the Water Environment Association of Utah presented the Tooele City Waste Water Reclamation Facility with the Outstanding Biosolids Program Award to recognize the staff for their efforts in developing a program for the new technology and facility, unlike any other in the country. A year later, those efforts have been recognized again. In May, the WEAU again recognized the Water Reclamation Facility, this time naming them the Outstanding Reclamation Facility for 2013. This signifies not only that the staff has developed a model program for the facility, but they have implemented that plan to create a waste water treatment facility, operating at levels that are the envy of the other facilities around the state. This is an amazing accomplishment for the staff—to not only develop a program but then implement it to such a high level in such a short time. The Water Reclamation Facility has quickly become a model for other facilities around the state and the country and an element of the community that our citizens can truly be proud of.
Digested News – Spring 2013
During their annual meetings the beginning of May, the Water Environment Association of Utah presented the Outstanding Biosolids Program Award to Tooele City’s Waste Water Reclamation Facility. This is a significant achievement for the City as it recognizes the City’s effort and dedication to an efficient and safe treatment of waste water. Commonly referred to as the sewer plant, the City’s reclamation facility receives and treats 2 to 2.5 million gallons of waste water on average per day. Of that, only one cubic yard of that material per week (0.00001%) has to be hauled away as waste, all other liquids and solids are treated and certified for possible reuse. All told, the City spent approximately $4.5 million on the design, construction, and implementation of systems that include a state-of-the-art 300’ × 150’ solids solar drying treatment system, an ultraviolet light liquids treatment system, and associated improvements. As a result, our waste water staff operates a very efficient system where almost every drop of effluent that reaches the City’s Waste Water Reclamation Facility is treated to be used again. The liquids are treated and returned to an irrigation quality whereby the City’s future secondary water system has the potential to provide irrigation water to the community to conserve our culinary water resources. The solids, which are treated, tested, and certified as reusable biosolids can then be used as soil supplements which can provide benefit to the grounds of the City’s 315+ acres worth of parks, golf course, cemetery, and other facilities. That reduces the need, expense, and environmental impacts of other chemicals and fertilizers. All totaled, the investment the community has made in the Waste Water Reclamation Facility reduces environmental impacts and saves tens of thousands of dollars per year in operational costs in addition to virtually eliminating the need for landfill space for treated material. All this is due to the vision of the community to invest in the first-of-its-kind in this country technology, right here in Tooele. And now the City has been recognized for the merits, benefits, and successful implementation of its program by the state’s affiliate to the Water Environment Federation, an association comprised of water quality professionals including engineers, scientists, and planners working to preserve and enhance water quality and the global water environment. This is not a simple accomplishment and is one that should be celebrated for this community.