Innovation in Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants

Common goals of water resource professionals include increasing efficiencies in engineering processes while minimizing environmental consequences, preserving public capital investment, and enhancing the level of service of costly but necessary water infrastructure. This category features projects that demonstrate the innovative use of technology to plan, design, manage, model, and construct water and wastewater treatment plants.

Read Bentley's press release announcing the winners

Winner

CDM (Camp Dresser & McKee)
Casa Grande Water Recovery and Reuse Project
Casa Grande, Arizona, United States

Located in Casa Grande, Arizona, this design/build project developed a water recovery treatment system that recycles 80 percent of the production water stream from a snack-food facility with the goal to meet federal drinking water standards. CDM proposed a design alternative that saved $2 million from the original planned treatment system and still met the aggressive 16-month delivery schedule.

To incorporate the technology for water treatment and solids management in a compact space, the project team designed 180-foot-diameter concentric steel tanks, individual sun canopies, and a LEED Silver certified control building. Team members worked in a managed environment for plant information using Bentley products. The ability to produce 3D designs with 4D data enabled the team to deliver a more cost-effective solution and dramatically reduce workflow inefficiencies.

Watch the Be Inspired best practice presentation

Finalist

Atkins Water and Environment
Wigan Q Project
Wigan, United Kingdom

Joint venture partners Galliford Try, Costain, and Atkins have teamed with United Utilities to deliver new and refurbished water and wastewater treatment projects throughout northwestern United Kingdom. As part of a five-year, £3 billion asset management plan, the alliance developed the £13.6 million Wigan wastewater treatment plant. The biological aerated flooded filter improved process flexibility and compliance with tighter standards.

Using MicroStation, Bentley Navigator, and AutoPLANT, Atkins modelers created each element in various configurations to enable designers to refine the layout for cost-effective operation and sustainability. Designers quickly and easily reviewed equipment layouts, analyzed possible pipe work clashes, and assessed lifting and maintenance issues. As a result of constructability reviews, costs have been forecasted to be 15 percent below budget.

Watch the Be Inspired best practice presentation

Finalist

MWH Australia Pty Ltd
North Head STP Process and Reliability/Renewals Program
Manly, Australia

The North Head Sewage Treatment Plant in New South Wales, Australia, needed a new screenings handling facility, new grit removal system, additional primary sedimentation tanks, and various reliability and improvement works. As part of a six-company alliance, MWH was responsible for the design of the $80 million screenings handling facility, located 60 meters below ground and set within the North Head cliff face.

The primary challenge was to design a new system that fit within the existing screenings handling chamber, which was cluttered with pipes, tanks, overhead cranes, and equipment. MWH used MicroStation to design and walk through the model with contractors and the operations and maintenance staff. MicroStation also allowed the design team to match a tool to every task, providing the flexibility to model and modify various options.

Watch the Be Inspired best practice presentation