Robinson, Stafford & Rude, Inc.
"The premier firm for project improvement & cost management."

Robinson, Stafford & Rude, Inc. Clients

Our Project Types - Wastewater Treatment and Conveyance Projects

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU)
Seattle, WA
Henderson North CSO Reduction Project
VE Team Leader on a 2.6MG underground storage tank to be constructed at Seward Park. The construction will require extensive excavation support using secant piles and major restoration work to retain the park environment. ECC $38M
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU)
Seattle, WA
Delridge CSO Reduction Project
VE Team Leader on two CSO storage facilities which were constructed in 1982 and were among the first CSO control facilities built by the City of Seattle. They are the City’s largest existing CSO storage facilities, each tank providing 1.6 million gallons of storage, and are similar in design. Improvements to the system will improve system reliability and streamline facility operations. ECC $5 million.
Port Hadlock Wastewater Treatment Facility
Jefferson County,, WA
Team Leader on a Constructability Review of this 2mgd advanced membrane facility. Key constructability issues included groundwater, prepurchase of membrane equipment, and interconnecting piping between prefabricated equipment and field erected work. ECC $15M.
Batesville Water Utilities
Batesville, AR
Batesville Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements
VE study on the design of improvements to the City of Batesville Wastewater Treatment Facilities. The project consists of five primary components: new interceptor sewers to bypass the existing main pump station, a new 1700-foot raw sewage transmission tunnel to take those flows to the plant site, a new 45 mgd treatment plant influent lift station, modifications to the existing lagoon system and construction of supplemental ammonia nitrogen removal treatment, and improvements to the collection system to reduce infiltration and inflow. The supplemental treatment facilities will include new comminutors and a new MBBR treatment system, along with associated other improvements. Owner-accepted savings totaled over $1.2 million.
Metropolitan Sewer District of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH
Mill Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant Secondary Upgrade
Peer Review and Constructability Review of plans for the design of 90% complete plans and specifications for a $38 million project to improve the secondary treatment facilities at the Cincinnati MSD Mill Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant from 120 mgd to 240 mgd. The 5-member review panel in a combination of office review and workshop review and consolidation identified over 350 comments.
City of Fort Myers
Fort Myers, FL
East Water Reclamation Plant
VE study on the design of a new 4 mgd water reclamation plant for the City of Fort Myers. The $116 million East Water Reclamation Facility is to be constructed on 106 acres of a 150-acre City-owned site, a portion of which is underlain by a former unregulated landfill. The treatment process will consist of influent pumping, fine screening, grit removal, scum, oil and grease removal, a moving bed bioreactor (MBBR) biological treatment system, a DAF solids removal system, a filtration system, effluent chlorination and an effluent pumping system. Waste solids from the biological system will be concentrated in a centrifuge and then hauled offsite for disposal. Also included are two 4-million reject water tanks, and two 5-million reclaimed water tanks, two reclaimed water rejection wells and influent sewer and effluent reclaimed water pipeline. The proposed facilities also include a number of public amenities on the site, including hiking/biking trails, a public exhibit/meeting space and open park space. Owner-accepted life cycle savings were $5 million.
City of New York
New York, NY
Newtown Creek Water Pollution Control Plant
Peer Review and Constructability Review of plans for the design of a new $565 million Central Residuals Building for the 310 mgd Newtown Creek treatment plant. The 12-member panel in a combination of office review and workshop review and consolidation identified over 900 comments on the very large contract document package.
Belfair Wastewater and Water Reclamation Plant - Mason County
Mason County, WA
VE study on the design of a new sewerage system for the Belfair community in Mason County. The project will provide wastewater collection, treatment and disposal facilities for the community, which is currently served only by individual septic tank systems. The collection system will consist of a combination of gravity, low pressure forcemain and high pressure forcemain pipelines, grinder pumps for low-lying customers and three conventional sewage pump stations. The 0.5 mgd treatment plant processes will consist of two-stage screening, grit removal, flow equalization, MBR secondary treatment, and UV disinfection. Waste solids will be thickened in a spare MBR basin and then land applied. The disposal system will consist of a 13-acre holding pond, followed by a spray irrigation groundwater infiltration system. Accepted life cycle savings were $15.6 million.
City of Davis
Davis, CA
Davis Water Pollution Control Plant Improvements
VE study on the design of improvements to the Davis Water Pollution Control Plant. The project will replace the existing lagoon and overland flow treatment system with a new activated sludge treatment system. The new system will include new influent pumping facilities; new mechanically-cleaned bar screens; primary clarifier improvements; a new nitrifying activated sludge treatment system, with 3 new circular clarifiers; secondary effluent equalization; membrane filters, and UV disinfection. Partial effluent reuse for irrigation is planned. Future biosolids handling will consist of gravity belt thickeners prior to digestion in one new and two existing anaerobic digesters and disposed in either in the County landfill or by means of land application. Accepted life cycle savings were approximately $10 million.
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
Milwaukee, WI
Jones Island Preliminary Treatment Upgrade
VE study on the design of the Jones Island Preliminary Treatment Upgrade for the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. The Preliminary Treatment Facility includes influent pumping, coarse screening, grit removal and the equipment for processing screened solids and grit from the preliminary treatment process, as well as sludge and scum from the primary clarification process. The equipment that was being upgraded included influent screening, primary sludge screening, primary scum handling, and solids conveying and loading processes. In addition, the building HVAC system was being upgraded, and the roof was being repaired and re-roofed. Accepted life cycle savings were in excess of $1 million.
Hampton Roads Sanitation District
Newport News, VA
York River Treatment Plant Expansion Phase 1
VE study as a part of a comprehensive approach to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus discharges to Chesapeake Bay, by upgrading and expanding the York River Treatment Plant. The hydraulic capacity will be increased from its current peak month capacity of 15 mgd to a peak month capacity of 30 mgd. The treatment level will be increased from the current step-feed activated sludge process which nitrifies during the summer to a new process that achieves extensive removal of both nitrogen and phosphorus year-round. Accepted savings on this project were $3 million.
New York City OMB
New York, NY
Tallman Island Wastewater Plant Upgrade 1A
VE study of a project to upgrade treatment at this 80 mgd wastewater plant to full Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR). The project included new engine-driven centrifugal blowers and air piping, main pump suction and discharge piping replacement, modification of the aeration basins to convert to BNR, rehabilitation of sludge pumping facilities, rehabilitation of the existing sludge thickeners, new digester covers, several new buildings and miscellaneous other improvements, totaling approximately $125 million in construction cost.
City of Portland
Portland, OR
Swan Island Pump Station
VE study of a large, 160-foot deep combination CSO and sanitary sewage pumping station. The site is located on an island in the Willamette River, and involved major groundwater components, include ground –freezing. Also included was a twin-pipe forcemain and approximately 1400 feet of 12-foot diameter soft-ground tunnel. The facility included a major standby power facility and significant odor control facilities.
City of San Diego
San Diego, CA
Lake Hodges Pipeline Replacement
VE study of a proposed replacement of an existing sewage forcemain, which is located under a water reservoir impoundment. The project involved significant limitations on construction because of the active use of the impoundment for potable water supply use during the time construction will take place.
Regional Municipality of Halton
Oakville, ON Canada
Oakville SW Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements
VE Team Leader for the first of four value engineering studies to be conducted on this project to expand an existing secondary wastewater treatment plant to a capacity of 45,460 cubic meters per day. This first study was a modified value engineering study, which included an approximately thirty person team consisting of the plant design firm, plant operations, design and R&D staff, and outside VE team members. The purpose of this study was to select a limited number of alternatives to serve as the preferred design alternatives as input to the preliminary design effort for the project.
Combined Sewer Relief Program
Fort Wayne, IN
Sub Basin M10120
VE study of this project to relieve storm-related sewage flooding problems in this residential combined sewer system sub basin. Project elements included new storm sewers, a stormwater retention basin in a public park, relief sewer construction, and inlet controls.
Green County
Green County, OH
Sugar Creek Wastewater Facilities Improvements
VE study of facilities to provide additional conveyance, storage and treatment capacity for storm-related flows in this nominally separated sewer system. Proposed facilities consisted of a new 66-inch diameter relief sewer, a new 66-mgd equalization pump station, two new 6.5 million gallon circular concrete equalization tanks, a new force main from the equalization facility to the treatment plant, and improvements to the treatment plant to accommodate the added flows.
Metropolitan District Commission
Boston, MA
Deer Island Pump Station
Two VE studies for this 110-foot deep pump station electrification project for the Deer Island treatment plant influent pump station facility.
Bay Park Wastewater Treatment Plant
Nassau County, NY
VE Team Coordinator/Project Manager for secondary treatment plant.
City of Richland
Richland, WA
Area 200 Sewer Hanford Nuclear Reservation
VE study of sewer system and storage/analysis system for conveyance of wastewater flows from BAT cleanup of several facilities in the 200 area of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.
City of San Diego
San Diego County, CA
Industrial Road Sewer Value Engineering
VE study of two miles of new 24-inch interceptor sewer adjacent to Highway 67 along a current and future alignment of Industry Road. This involved extensive consideration of road/utility interactions and traffic impacts. The estimated capital cost savings, which will accrue from value engineering recommendations accepted by the county, will exceed $185,000 (approximately 15% of the estimated construction costs).
City of San Diego
San Diego, CA
North City Pipelines
VE study of four pipelines in a single workshop. The combined estimated construction cost was $30 million. Two pipelines were long sludge transfer pipelines, one was a sewage transfer pipeline and tunnel, and one was an effluent pipeline and tunnel.
City of Portland
Portland, OR
Portland Standard Pump Station Designs
VE study of two standard, circular caisson construction pump station designs, one for 2,000-4,000 gpm and one for 6,000-15,000 gpm.
Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle
Seattle, WA
Interurban Pump Station
VE Team Leader for two value engineering studies of a new 3.8 mgd raw sewage pump station, a 27-inch and 36-inch interceptor sewer and new force main. Implemented savings were over $350,000 in capital costs.
City of Port Townsend
Port Townsend, WA
Port Townsend Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion
VE study of expansion of an existing 0.61 mgd primary wastewater treatment plant to 1.7 mgd secondary treatment. The project also involved treatment of effluent from a STEP system, septage, and landfill leachate. The project had significant public opposition with two members of the public included on the value engineering team. Accepted capital cost savings to the City because of the accepted ideas from the value engineering study were $200,000.
Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle
Seattle, WA
Interurban Pump Station
VE Team Leader for two value engineering studies of a new 3.8 mgd raw sewage pump station, a 27-inch and 36-inch interceptor sewer and new force main. Implemented savings were over $350,000 in capital costs.
City of Port Townsend
Port Townsend, WA
Port Townsend Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion
VE study of expansion of an existing 0.61 mgd primary wastewater treatment plant to 1.7 mgd secondary treatment. The project also involved treatment of effluent from a STEP system, septage, and landfill leachate. The project had significant public opposition with two members of the public included on the value engineering team. Accepted capital cost savings to the City because of the accepted ideas from the value engineering study were $200,000.
City of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD
Patapsco Wastewater Treatment Plan Upgrade.
Plant upgrades to achieve the Maryland Department of Environment’s (MDE) enhance nutrient removal (ENR) water quality goals for the Chesapeake Bay. A proposed $110M ENR facility will be constructed at the plant to meet the new permit requirements. The ENR facilities will be located within a site known to be contaminated with chromium.
Milwaukee County Grounds Floodwater Management Facility (MCG facility)
Milwaukee County, WI
Milwaukee Municipal Sewerage Division (MMSD)
VETL on this project that project was in an overbid condition and being reviewed for possible re-bid at the time of the workshop. Structures within the scope of this VE study include the following: Diversion structure along Underwood Creek, 2,722-foot-long and 17-foot-diameter tunnel, tunnel outlet stilling basin, basin low level outlet and spillway, and Canadian Pacific Railway crossing structure. Resulted in the development of 26 alternatives and 19 design suggestions. ECC $52.4 million.
City of Columbus, Department of Public Utilities, Division of Sewerage and Drainage (DOSD), Columbus, OH.
VE Team Leader on the following studies:
City of Columbus
Columbus, OH
Sludge Thickening Improvements and Additional Renovations at the Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant, Capital Improvement (CIP) Project 650359.
The project includes the construction of centrifuge thickening units, polymer storage and feed systems, conveyors, piping, renovations to Thickening Facility West (TFW) (formerly Incinerator Building – North (NCR)), and renovations to Thickening Facility East (TFE) (formerly Centrifuge Thickening Building (CET). Study on 40% submittal, ECC $60.9 million.
City of Columbus
Columbus, OH
Detailed Design Memorandum for Jackson Pike Wastewater Treatment Plant, Capital Improvement (CIP) Project 650245
Augusta County Service Authority (ACSA)
Augusta County, GA
Middle River Wastewater Treatment Facility Enhanced Nutrient Removal Upgrade.
VETL on the study to identify possible cost saving items and design modifications for the incorporation of Verona’s WWTP 0.8 MGD capacity into the Middle River WWTP. The study was conducted under the guidelines of SAVE International and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ECC $19M
Town of East Hampton
East Hampton, CT
Proposed Municipal Water System.
VETL on study of preliminary engineering submittal for large water system to replace small water systems. Some local wells in water districts are partially contaminated, and the goal of this project is to increase water quality for city residents. ECC $46.18 million.
Town of South Windsor
South Windsor, CT
Water Pollution Control Facility Upgrade.
VETL/Civil participant on studies of 30% design and 60% design submittals to upgrade plant to meet increased permit limits and flow projections. ECC $23.4 million.
Town of Meriden
Meriden, CT
Water Pollution Control Facility Upgrade.
VETL on study of preliminary design documents for this 11.6 mgd advanced secondary wastewater treatment plant. Existing equipment needs major repair or replacement. ECC $28 million
Bergen County Utilities Authority
Little Ferry, NJ
Overpeck Valley Relief Sewer Project.
VETL/Civil participant on 50% design submittal for a new sewer with a total length of approximately 28,000 LF and a combination of 72, 66, and 42 in-diameter reinforced concrete pipes. ECC $47 million.
City of Lompoc
Lompoc, CA
Regional Wastewater Reclamation Plant Upgrade.
VETL on this study of 50% design submittal to upgrade a WWTP with current capacity of 5 million mgd. ECC $57.1 million
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Chino, CA
Recycled Water Distribution System Facilities—Phase II, RP-1 South Zone Pump Station.
VETL on this study of 50% design documents for a new pump station with an initial capacity of 18,000 gpm and an ultimate capacity of 27,300 gpm. ECC $3.7 million.
Rahway Valley Sewerage Authority
Rahway, NJ
RVSA Comprehensive Strategic Plan WWTP Improvements.
VETL on study of this project to close two sewer overflows, to implement prescribed treatment processes at the WWTP, and to collect and treat 105 million gallons per day of wet weather flow to prescribed effluent criteria according to a set schedule. ECC $137 million.
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
Milwaukee, WI
Real Time Control Strategy Improvement Plan.
VETL of study to evaluate the goals, assumptions, benefits, and value of a proposed real-time control (RTC) system. The overall goal of the project was to maximize the use of existing facilities while minimizing separate sewer overflows (SSO) and reducing the number of combined sewer overflows (CSO). The team offered alternatives that addressed all facets of the control plan including meteorological projection, system flow projections, and control logic, as well as the overall goal of maximizing the use of the Inline Storage System and Management Information System. During the study, several items in the tunnel pumping facility and treatment of CSO flows were also noted, and recommendations for improvements were included in the report.
New York City’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
New York, NJ
Central Residuals Building (CRB) project located at the Newtown Creek Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP), Brooklyn, New York.
Assistant VETL on project to address a Consent Order requiring the Newtown Creek WPCP to achieve secondary wastewater treatment at levels that meet U.S. EPA standards. The plant will rely on a wet stream process that consists of influent screens, grit tanks, step-feed aeration tanks, final sedimentation tanks, and chlorine contact tanks. ECC $161.9 million.
Stadium High School Sewer Interceptor Failure
Tacoma, WA
Performed forensic VE/hydraulic analysis of the drainage basin to simulate flow conditions in a 1917 brick interceptor, which caused a major landslide on the eastern bluff above Puget Sound. Findings showed that the sewer was surcharged and flow escaped through an exposed hole left in the top of the pipe for future (1917) side sewers, causing excess pore pressure to build up in the soil, resulting in liquefaction.
Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District
Millbury, MA
Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvements Project
VETL on the Phase I design to upgrade the plant process. Upgrade will meet recent permit changes requiring the plant to move from a conventional activated sludge process to a process with biological nutrient removal (BNR). Team reviewed the 30% preliminary design report; focus of their concerns was on the high cost of site remediation. The team made recommendations to address the new headworks, soil remediation issue, phasing of new process tanks, and the type of instrumentation proposed for the plant. ECC of Phase I $71.5 million; ECC of total project $135.8 million.
Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District
Millbury, MA
VETL on Phase I design development submittal.
The key concerns of the VE team centered on the high cost of the odor control at the headworks using an in-ground biofilter system. The majority of the recommendations focused on the new headworks building, flow split pipe and routing, and detailed electrical suggestions. ECC of Phase I $52.3 million.
Galien River Sanitary District Authority
New Buffalo, MI
Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvements.
VETL of review of 85% contract Plans and Specifications. Improvements to wastewater facility are intended to accommodate expected new flows to the plant and address hydraulic considerations caused by a high peaking factor. The plant is designed for a peak instantaneous flow of 12.5 mgd. The study focused on phasing options, constructability issues, and methods to control the high peaking factors without major modifications to the existing drawings. The team suggested adding an equalization basin to reduce the high peak loads and to add additional basins in the future. ECC $10.6 million.
Racine Water and Wastewater Utility
Racine, WI
Wastewater Treatment Facility and Sewer Upgrade.
VETL of study at the 30% design completion stage of the Wet Weather Process Optimization Improvements (WWTF project phase) North Side Storage Facility and the North Side Relief Sewer project. The state permit for discharging effluent was contingent upon the submission of a compliance schedule for upgrading the sewerage facilities, including a Facilities Plan for the Year 2020, and submittal of plans and specifications. The study was done on the facilities plan, the onsite facilities upgrade, and expansion for wet weather process optimization improvements. ECC for treatment plant improvement is $56.9 million; overall ECC of the project is $79 million.
Orange County Sanitation District
Fountain Valley, CA
Plant No. 1 Expansion—Primary Clarifiers Nos. 16-31.
VETL on the study of 30% design submittal to add 16 rectangular primary clarifiers and various additional facilities including pumping, piping, odor control, instrumentation and control, etc., to provide an additional 96 mgd of capacity. ECC $66.4 million.
City of Warwick
Warwick, RI
Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facilities Expansion.
VETL on study of 2.7 mgd expansion, including the addition of a BNR system and dechlorination facilities.
Water & Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County
Concord, NC
Rocky River WWTP Upgrade.
VETL on a study of this 10 mgd plant expansion. ECC $17.5 million.
Narragansett Bay Commission
Providence, RI
Bucklin Point Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvement Project.
VETL on study of 30% submittal to add four new primary clarifiers, new disinfection facilities, and a new plant pretreatment facility, including four new influent screw pumps, followed by four catenary screens. ECC $43 million.
Hill Canyon Wastewater Treatment Plant
Thousand Oaks, CA
Hill Canyon Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion and Upgrade Project
VETL on study of 3.2 mgd expansion, including a new bioreactor process for nutrient removal, one secondary clarifier, expanded intermediate filter pump station, additional deep bed monomedia tertiary filters, UV disinfection, and various support facilities, buildings and sitework. ECC $58 million.
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District
Lake Elsinore, CA
Regional Wastewater Reclamation Plant Expansion.
VETL and Civil participant on this project to expand a plant capacity from 4 mgd to 6 mgd. This upgraded facility will allow for planned growth in the community and establish a new planned layout for future expansions up to 20 mgd. ECC $30,200,000.
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
Boston, MA
North Bay and Reserved Channel Consolidation and Reserved Channel CSO Facility Project.
VETL on study performed at preliminary design report stage. Study focused on the 600 mgd effluent pump station; dewatering pumps; fine screening facilities; disinfection of the CSO effluent; odor control; and twin 10-foot-diameter, 300-foot long outfall pipes. ECC $68.9 million.
City of Redmond
Redmond, OR
Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion.
VETL on this study of a 3.4 mgd Advanced Waste Treatment (AWT) plant that includes a new Orbal disc aeration system. Permit limits on the plant have been restricted to 10-10-5-1 to prevent possible pollutant buildup in the spray irrigation fields. ECC $15 million
City of Rockland
Rockland, ME
Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrade and Combined Sewer Overflow Abatement Program.
VETL on analysis of 30% design completion documents. Proposed upgrades to the 2.9 mgd facility are aimed at reducing the CSOs that include waste from both municipal and industrial sources, thereby improving the water quality of the surrounding harbor. ECC $3 million.
San Diego Clean Water Program
San Diego, CA
South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Project Manager and VETL on three studies of a 50 mgd (ADF), 100 mgd peak flow plant located on the U.S./Mexico border. This international project is being funded by the U.S. EPA, State of California, City of San Diego, and the Mexican government. Approximately $43M of savings was accepted from the VE study, representing a return on investment of approximately 580:1 for the owner. ECC $143 million.
City of San Diego
San Diego, CA
Metropolitan Water Department, South Bay Reclamation Pump Station.
VETL on project that included an 18-mgd four-plex pump station adjacent to Interstate 5, 13,854 lf of 30-in. force main from the pump station to the treatment plant, and 16,722 lf of 8-in. sludge force main to transport sludge for treatment at the Point Loma WWTP. ECC $12 million.
City of San Diego
San Diego, CA
Otay Valley Wastewater Reclamation Plant, San Diego Metropolitan Wastewater Department.
VETL on study of a 7 mgd plant that will treat secondary wastewater up to California Title #22 levels for distribution as reclaimed water. The concept would include additional aeration, addition of polymers, final sedimentation, tertiary filtration, ultraviolet disinfection, and pumping to storage and distribution facilities.
Naval Public Works Center
Pearl Harbor, HI
Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Project Manager and VETL for this 10,000gpd facility that will treat all industrial wastes generated within the Pearl Harbor area. The project includes tanker unloading facilities, pH reaction tanks, sludge settling tanks, sludge dewatering, an administration/lab building, and a bulk reagent storage facility. ECC $17 million.
City of San Diego
San Diego, CA
Feasibility Study on Advanced Integrated Pond Systems (A.I.P.S.) with Environmental Protection Agency and the State of California.
Project Manager for the study, which included assembling nationally, recognized experts in pond and wetland treatment systems. The study evaluated the treatment performance of numerous A.I.P.S. pond systems designed by Dr. Oswald of the UC, Berkeley. The team found that a modified A.I.P.S. could produce effluents with 30mg/L BOD, and 45mg/L SS and found A.I.P.S. systems very effective at “complexing” heavy metals coming from mixed domestic/industrial waste streams.
Louisville-Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District
Louisville, KY
Cedar Creek WWTP (with Khafra Engineering, Inc.)
VETL on study of plant expansion.
Louisville-Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District
Louisville, KY
Old Henry Pump Station, Interceptor and Force Main
Naval Public Works Center
Pearl Harbor, HI
Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements, Ft. Kamehameha.
VETL and Project Manager on the preliminary engineering report study of plant expansion from 7.5mgd to 13mgd to meet increasing flows from Pearl Harbor.
City of Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA
(with Boyle Engineering), North of River WWTP Expansion and Detention Ponds.
Project Manager for the VE study on this 12 mgd trickling filter plant. Effluent from the plant will be stored in effluent ponds prior to discharge to local farmers and used as reclaimed water for irrigation. The discharge limits for the plant are 40mg/L for both BOD5 and TSS. The project also includes a 54-inch sewer.
Shelby County
Shelby County, NC
Shelby County, NC, WWTP.
VETL on a study of this 7mgd activated sludge plant.
Naval Facilities Engineering Command WESTDIV
China Lake, CA
Industrial WWTP, Naval Air Weapons Station.
VETL on a study of this Reverse Osmosis plant with biological oxidation. This plant handles all “energetic” (i.e., explosive) wastes from the testing of munitions.
Intel Corporation
Phoenix, AZ
RODI Plant Expansion (Reverse Osmosis Deionized Water System).
VETL on a study of this ultra-pure water system used by Intel to rinse computer chips. The plant expanded from 100gpm to 200gpm.
Douglas County Sewer Authority
Douglas County, GA
Sweetwater Creek WWTP.
VETL on this study of Phase I plans for this new 12mgd activated sludge plant. The first phase included two “Carrousel” extended aeration basins plus sludge processing facilities. The discharge limits were 20/20, with nitrification.
City of Portland
Portland, OR
Wastewater Outfall.
VETL on this project to create effluent holding basins to reduce peak flows and the resulting pipe size increase required to pass these higher diurnal and CSO flows.
City and County of Honolulu
Honolulu, HI
Sludge Drying and Processing Plant.
VETL on a cost reduction/VE study analyzing the constructability of this privatized processing plant. Final product will be dried/bagged for retail sales. ECC $5.8 million.
Water Pollution Control Facility Upgrade
West Haven, CT
Two VE studies on a project to expand, refurbish and upgrade the West Haven Water Pollution Control Facility. The plant was to increase from an average of 7.2 mgd in the nitrification-denitrification mode, with a peak hour capacity of 26 mgd to treat an annual average of 9.7 mgd and a peak hour flow of 33 mgd in a four-stage nitrogen removal configuration. Process changes included installation of an Integrated Fixed film Activated Sludge (IFAS) system in the existing basins.
Marietta Wastewater Treatment Facility
Marietta, OH
VE study of a project to expand, refurbish and upgrade the Marietta, OH wastewater treatment plant to 4 mgd capacity. The project involved improvements to the equalization system, influent pump station, screens, primary tanks and aeration system. New secondary clarifiers were proposed as well as replacing the existing chlorine disinfection system with a UV system. A high river level effluent pump station was also part of the project.
Victorville Water Reclamation Plant
Victorville, CA
VE study of a project to expand, refurbish and upgrade the Victorville, CA Westside Water Reclamation Facility from 18 to 22 mgd, producing reclaimed water meeting California’s Title 22 regulations. The proposed facility will be converted to a membrane bioreactor (MBR) facility, and will convert from chlorine disinfection to ultraviolet light.
Humber Wastewater Treatment Plant Odor Control Improvements
Toronto, Ontario
VE study and an associated 2-day risk assessment workshop for planned improvements to the odor control facilities for the Humber Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The planned facilities consisted primarily of banks of pre-fabricated biofilters, treating odorous air from the plant headworks building, grit tanks, primary clarifiers and aeration tanks. The target residual odor level was 1 odor unit at the WWTP fence-line at all times.
Pine Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant
Calgary, Alberta
VE study of the first 100 ML/d (26 mgd) phase of an ultimate 700ML/d (182 mgd) biological nutrient removal wastewater treatment plant. The project included both liquid stream and solids stream treatment facilities, as an unusual outfall diffuser in the Bow River, a world-class trout stream. The plant also had significant visual aesthetic issues as it sits below a bluff on which are located very expensive homes. Likewise odor control was a major issue. The project also included a new influent sewer.
Rogers Road Reclamation Plant
Tucson, AZ
VE study for a 25 mgd water reclamation plant expansion, including influent pumps located at an adjacent wastewater treatment plant, direct filtration system with chlorine disinfection, and effluent high-service pump station modifications.
North City Water Reclamation Plant
City of San Diego, CA
VE study of proposed 30 mgd water reclamation plant and wastewater sludge facilities serving the entire North City area. Study is part of the San Diego Clean Water Program. The project included significant traffic issues related to plant access off Eastgate Mall. Value engineering savings totaling $7.5 million were accepted by the City of San Diego.
Sewage Headworks Facilities
Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (CCCSD), CA
VE study of a $17 million expansion to the headworks of the CCCSD main sewage treatment plant.
Nogales International Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade VE Study No. 1
Nogales, AZ
VE study of the upgrade of this 17.2 mgd secondary treatment plant to add nitrogen removal. The plant treats flows from Nogales, AZ and Nogales, Sonora ( Mexico ), and is owned jointly by the City of Nogales, AZ and the International Boundary and Water Commission. The existing facility is an aerated lagoon facility, followed by continuous backwash filters and UV disinfection. The proposed improvements included a new headworks, construction of anoxic and aerated segments in the existing lagoons to convert them to a modified Ludzak-Ettinger process, renovation of the filters and replacement of the UV system with an expanded system. An aerobic digester and belt filter press dewatering were proposed for solids handling. The VE team proposed a number of modifications to the design, including converting existing lagoon volume to equalization to deal with high stormflows and massive grit loads, and to avoid replacing the existing headworks; as well as recommending elimination of the filters. Accepted savings will exceed $10 million.
Avalon Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements
Avalon, CA
VE study of proposed facilities to expand the wastewater treatment facilities for the City of Avalon, on Santa Catalina Island. Unique issues for this project included the high salt content of the wastewater resulting from the City’s use of salt water for toilet flushing throughout the system; and very large differences between average and peak flow loadings resulting from the varying tourist population at this popular resort.
Butler Water Reclamation Plant
Peoria, AZ
VE study of a new 10 mgd water reclamation plant, offsite 10 mgd influent pump station and 9,5 miles of sewers and force mains, The treatment process included grit removal, screening, aeration, membrane bioreactors (MBR) and UV disinfection. Solids processing consisted of centrifuge dewatering for agriculture disposal. Pipeline construction was in city streets through heavily developed areas.
Orange County Sanitation District WWTP #2 Primary Rehabilitation
Fountain Valley, CA
VE study of improvements to the primary clarifiers and associated odor control facilities at the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 2. The project consists of structural and mechanical rehabilitation of the existing 14 primary clarifiers, replacement of sludge grinders and pumps, replacement of the polymer systems, replacement of the electrical systems for the primaries, removal of the existing high dome covers on the 14 primaries and replacement with flat covers, removal of the existing odor control systems and replacement with a new two-stage, biotower-chemical scrubber systems.
Nogales International Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade VE Study No. 2
Nogales, AZ
VE study of the upgrade of this 17.2 mgd secondary treatment plant to add nitrogen removal. The plant treats flows from Nogales, AZ and Nogales, Sonora ( Mexico ), and is owned jointly by the City of Nogales, AZ and the International Boundary and Water Commission. The existing facility is an aerated lagoon facility, followed by continuous backwash filters and UV disinfection. The adjusted proposed improvements included a headworks modifications, construction of a three-train Kruger Triple-ditch activated sludge system, and replacement of the UV system. Two aerobic digesters and facultative digested sludge storage were proposed for solids handling. The VE team proposed a number of modifications to the design, including reduction of the safety factor in the triple-ditch design, installation of sludge thickening, and modifications to the headworks improvements.
South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant
San Diego, CA
VE study of the upgrade of this existing advanced primary treatment plant, treating flows from Tijuana, Mexico . The proposed facilities consisted of a three-stage lagoon system, with anaerobic, complete-mixed and partially mixed lagoons, and a recycle system to transfer waste solids from the completely mixed lagoons to the anaerobic lagoons for digestion. The initial anaerobic lagoon will provide initial treatment of the strong (approximately 440 BOD) influent flows, and will also digest the primary and secondary solids generated at the facility. The new lagoon system was being designed for an average flow of 25 mgd and a peak flow of 75 mgd. The proposed improvements also included extensive landscaping and also special fencing, because of the proximity of the plant to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Port Angeles Sewage Plant Expansion
Port Angeles, WA
VE study of expansion of primary sewage plant to 6.7 mgd secondary capacity using the trickling filter/solids contact treatment process. Implemented value engineering recommendations saved an estimated $1.7 million.
West Point Treatment Plant Expansion
Seattle, WA, for the Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle
Constructability study, scheduling, and traffic analysis during preliminary design of a $550 million project to upgrade treatment to secondary and increase the plant’s peak hydraulic capacity from 325 mgd to 440 mgd; project is scheduled to start up in 1995.
Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion
Everett, WA
VE study for this $58 million project to modify this combination aerated lagoon and activated sludge wastewater treatment plant to improve treatment, increase capacity and reduce odor generation The proposed project consists of a variety of facilities and improvements to be constructed over 7 years to address odor and process unit loading and performance problems, and to provide additional treatment capacity. The plant will be expanded from 20 to 26 mgd and the complex aerated lagoon/activated sludge system will be modified. Accepted VE recommendations will save approximately $1.4 million in capital costs.
Port Townsend Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion
Port Townsend, WA
VE study of expansion of an existing 0.61 mgd primary wastewater treatment plant to 1.7 mgd secondary treatment. The project also involved treatment of effluent from a STEP system, septage, and landfill leachate. The project had significant public opposition with two members of the public included on the value engineering team. Accepted capital cost savings to the City because of the accepted ideas from the value engineering study were $200,000.
Mini-Value Engineering Workshop, Port Townsend WWTP Expansion
Port Townsend, WA
Mini-VE study of a project mandated in legal settlement between the City and citizen opposition group. Workshop consisted of value engineering plus validation/review of City's compliance with terms of settlement with citizens.
Renton Wastewater Treatment Plant
Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle, WA
Nine-study, $750,000 Value Engineering effort on a $325 million construction program to expand an existing major secondary wastewater treatment plant
Wastewater Treatment Plant
City of Newberg, OR
VE study for 4 mgd oxidation ditch secondary wastewater treatment plant, with flow equalization facilities, chlorine disinfection, DAF sludge thickening, belt press sludge dewatering, and enclosed vessel sludge composting.
West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant
Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle, WA
Two VE studies and one constructibility study for two new 100-foot-diameter anaerobic digesters.
Corvallis Combined Sewer Overflow Project
Corvallis, OR
VE study of this $30 million project to provide addition conveyance capacity for combined sewage and additional pumping, storage and treatment facilities for the added flow at the existing treatment plant site. Proposed facilities at the plant site included a new 74-mgd influent pump station, five million gallons of storage and additional screening, grit removal and primary clarifier facilities.
Brightwater Wastewater Treatment Plant
King County (Seattle), WA
VE study of the new $230 million Brightwater Wastewater Treatment plant to be constructed in northeast suburban Seattle, WA. The plant is being designed for an average annual flow of 31.3 mgd, a peak month flow of 50.8 mgd and a peak hour flow of 130 mgd. The plant will provide greater than secondary treatment to flows up to 57 mgd, with advanced primary treatment for flows in excess of this level up to the peak hour flow. The main process flow train will consist of influent screening, grit removal, primary clarification, activated sludge secondary treatment, followed by a membrane bioreactor (MBR) unit, chlorination and dechlorination. Storm-related flows (those above 57 mgd will be treated with an advanced primary treatment system and then pass through chlorination and dechlorination. Up to 5 mgd of the flow may be used as reclaimed water, and the remainder will be discharged to the effluent tunnel system for conveyance to a deep outfall in Puget Sound.
Cle Elum Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion
Cle Elum, WA
VE study of the proposed improvements to treatment facilities for this small eastern Washington community. The value engineering study was convened to assess the potential for combining wastewaters from Cle Elum with those from three other communities, the County and a proposed major resort development and constructing a new consolidated treatment plant. The value engineering team members consisted of technical staff, consultants and elected officials from the interested parties.
Grants Pass Water Restoration Plant Expansion
Grants Pass, OR
Two VE studies of proposed improvements to the existing 27 mgd wastewater restoration facility, which discharges to the wild and scenic-designated Rogue River. Both value engineering studies were conducted at the facilities plan level of project development. The first VE study reviewed the proposed liquid stream improvements, and the second looked at the biosolids handling system, through final disposal.
Gresham Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements
Gresham, OR
VE study of this expansion of an existing secondary wastewater treatment plant to 32 mgd. Improvements consisted of additions and changes to the influent and headwork’s facilities, primary clarifier additions, new aeration tanks, an additional secondary clarifier, digester and solids handling improvements, new odor control facilities and improvements to the control system and administration and maintenance facilities.
Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade
Everett, WA
VE study of the expansion of an unusual combination lagoon and trickling fliter-solids contact (TFSC) wastewater treatment plant. The existing system consists of a multi-cell aerated lagoon/polishing pond treatment train operating in parallel with a trickling filter-solids contact treatment train. Solids from the TFSC system are treated in the aerated lagoon in a mixed aerobic-anaerobic treatment environment. The proposed improvements consisted of added TFSC facilities, improvements to headworks facilities, new gravity thickeners and anaerobic digesters, and odor control facilities including trickling filter covers and biofilters. The VE team identified major changes in the process train that result in significant reductions in both construction and operating costs.
Preliminary and primary Treatment Improvements – Calumet WWTP
Chicago, IL
VE study of improvements to the preliminary and primary treatment facilities at the MWD of Greater Chcago’s Calumet Wastewater Treatment. The project includes replacement the existing grit removal facilities with new rectangular aerated grit tanks and the existing rectangular primaries with 16 new 155-foot diameter circular primary settling tanks. Four new primary sludge pump stations will be constructed, each serving a pod of four settling tanks. A new tunnel will be constructed, connecting the existing utility tunnel system with the four new primary sludge pump stations and the new grit removal building.
Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility
Fayetteville, AR
VE study for additions to the Advanced Wastewater Treatment facility at Fayetteville, AR. The project included the review of the new secondary treatment facilities.
Expansion of Town Branch WWTP
Lexington, KY
VE study of plant upgrade from 18 mgd activated sludge secondary treatment to 36 mgd. Advanced secondary treatment with nitrification and post aeration solids handling consists of gravity and DAF thickening and anaerobic digestion.
R. M. Clayton Wastewater Treatment Plant
City of Atlanta, GA
VE study on first-phase plant upgrade for this 120-mgd treatment facility, including thickeners, digesters, headworks and sludge incineration.
East River Nitrogen Management Plan
New York, NY
VE study examining the City of New York’s $640 million multi-Water Pollution Control Plant program to reduce the effluent nitrogen discharged to the East River and Long Island Sound. The planned program included installation of biological nitrogen removal facilities at several of the City’s existing water pollution control facilities, all of which have significant site limitations. The Study included extensive review of anticipated operational costs, as well as focusing heavily on assessing whether the proposed technical strategies would achieve the desired results.
Rockaway Water Pollution Control Plant Upgrade Facility Plan
New York, NY
VE study of proposed facilities to upgrade the 45 mgd Rockaway Water Pollution Control Plant for the City of New York. Proposed improvements include a new administration building, restoration of a marine bulkhead at the sludge barge loading facility, construction of new residuals handling facilities, replacement of the aeration system, installation of a new parallel influent forcemain, Influent pumping facility improvements, and an electrical system upgrade.
Wards Island Phase 4 & 5 Improvements
New York, NY
VE study for this $661 million project to modify the existing secondary process to provide biological nitrogen removal at the City’s 250 mgd Wards Island water pollution control plant. Proposed facilities included replacement of the lower and piping system, clarifier improvements, addition of carbon-source chemical feed equipment, digester modifications, improvements to the administration building, improvements to the main sewage pump station and vacuum-primed pumps, major changes to the electrical system and generators, and new caustic feed facilities.
Long Range Sludge Management Plan
New York, NY
VE study of the City of New York’s Long Range Sludge Management Plan, for dealing with the entire 500 dry ton per day sludge production of all of the City’s WWTPs. The program includes heat drying and pelletizing, composting, alkali stabilization and direct land application of dewatered sludge. The value engineering team recommendations totaled over $1.5 billion in life cycle cost savings.
East River CSO Project
New York, NY
VE study of $863 million, a five-facility combined sewer overflow cleanup program to improve water quality in five tributaries to the East River. Project included five large underground storage/treatment tanks and equipment and above grade buildings and facilities.
Flushing CSO Project
New York, NY
VE study of a $300 million CSO program to clean up Flushing Creek and Flushing Bay. Project included a 40 million gallon storage/treatment facility and seven swirl concentrator facilities. The study was conducted at completion of facility planning and included review of extensive water quality modeling.
Sludge Dewatering Facilities
New York, NY
Two VE studies of the City of New York’s $430 million city-wide sewage sludge dewatering facilities, which consist of eight new buildings containing centrifuges with a total peak capacity of over 800 dry tons per day.
Tallman Island Wastewater Plant Upgrade 1A
New York, NY
VE study of a project to upgrade treatment at this 80 mgd wastewater plant to full Biological nutrient removal (BNR). The project included new engine-driven centrifugal blowers and air piping, main pump suction and discharge piping replacement, modification of the aeration basins to convert to BNR, rehabilitation of sludge pumping facilities, rehabilitation of the existing sludge thickeners, new digester covers, several new buildings and miscellaneous other improvements, totaling approximately $125 million in construction cost.
Wards Island BNR Upgrade
New York, NY
VE study of a $650 million upgrade to a 275 mgd secondary wastewater treatment plant to implement step-feed biological nitrogen removal (BNR). The proposed improvements included replacement of the secondary air piping and blowers, structural modifications to the existing aeration basins, replacement of the existing diffusers, installation of mechanical mixers in the new anoxic zones, clarifier improvements, new RAS and WAS pumping facilities, flow control improvements, installation of digital control for the new BNR system and improvements to the administration.
Wards Island Water Pollution Control Plant Upgrade – Phase 2
New York, NY
VE study of the $173 million Phase Two upgrade of the 275 mgd Wards Island Wastewater treatment plant. Improvements included a major rehabilitation of the entire solids thickening and digestion operation, a major rehabilitation of the off-site screening and grit facilities for the plant, located in Manhattan and in the Bronx, improvements to the personnel facilities at the plant and other miscellaneous improvements.
Spring Creek CSO Facility Upgrade
New York, NY
VE study of the $85 million upgrade of a combined CSO storage and treatment facility constructed by New York City in the early 1970’s. The proposed improvements included lowering the facility roof, to reduce odor control air treatment volumes, construction of new odor control facilities, rehabilitation of the effluent pumping and administration facilities, installation of a new basin cleaning system, correction of leakage problems at basin tide gates, and construction of a new chlorination/dechlorination system.
Wards Island Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade
New York, NY
VE study of a $205 million major upgrade of New York City’s Wards Island Wastewater Treatment Plant from 250 mgd to 275 mgd. The project included improvements to grit removal facilities, primary clarifiers, aeration facilities, secondary clarifiers, chlorination system and sludge handling facilities, as well as plant ancillary facilities. Also included was the remodeling of some of the plant buildings.

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