RC121 NovDec 2025 - Magazine - Page 13
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, U.S.
PARSONS, PCL CONSTRUCTION
NEW WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY
RENEWCANADA.NET
PCL CONSTRUCTION is building the Salt Lake City New Water Reclamation Facility
(WRF) which is rated to treat an average of 48 million gallons of water per day
(MGD) once completed and will have the ability to expand capacity in the future.
The new treatment plant will comply with state water quality standards enacted in
2016 that require additional removal of phosphorus in the wastewater treatment
process.
This project is the largest public works project ever undertaken by the City of
Salt Lake Department of Public Utilities. The new facility will eliminate the outdated
treatment process the original plant was utilizing and introduce a Biological Nutrient
Removal (BNR) process UV disinfection system, among other treatment advancements. The construction scope for the new plant also includes a solids dewatering
facility, a chemical feed facility and a new electrical substation with four standby
generators. The project is on track to achieve Envision Platinum certification, a sustainability rating system that has become prominent in civil infrastructure projects.
The new plant is being constructed on land previously occupied by concrete-lined
digested sludge dry beds. To maintain operations during construction, the City of Salt
Lake had to implement a temporary dewatering solution to replace the function of
the drying beds. However, the temporary system proved to be inefficient and costly.
The team stepped in, utilizing the flexibility of the Construction Manager at Risk
(CMAR) model, which promotes early procurement and continuous collaboration.
The integrated project team proposed installing two of the four new procured pieces
of dewatering equipment intended for the new plant into the temporary system. This
approach allowed the City of Salt Lake to improve the temporary operations while
gaining experience with the new equipment. Once the plant nears completion, the
equipment will be removed from the temporary operations, refurbished and installed
in the new facility. The team delivered an innovative, cost-effective solution that
benefited the entire project.
The CMAR contract model has enabled collaborative problem-solving throughout
the project. PCL and Sundt were brought in during the design phase and provided
cost modeling and value engineering solutions that saved the city millions of dollars.
Their early involvement in procurement and construction planning was critical in
maintaining the existing plant’s operations while simultaneously developing the new
facility. The new WRF will not only meet modern regulations but also set a benchmark
for sustainable and collaborative water and wastewater infrastructure development.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 – RENEW CANADA 13
