Metro Wastewater Reclamation District Opens $417 Million Facility

May 31, 2017
Infrastructure investment strengthens system for Colorado

The Metro Wastewater Reclamation District celebrated the grand opening of its Northern Treatment Plant. The new $417 million facility was planned since 1982.

Designed to protect the South Platte River and support rapid community growth, the facility is capable of cleaning 24 million gal per day and will eventually serve up to 750,000 customers across Aurora, Brighton, Commerce City, Thornton, unincorporated Adams County and Denver, Colo.

“By investing in critical infrastructure, we are investing in the future of the communities where we live and work,” said Catherine Gerali, district manager of the Metro District. “Completion of the Northern Treatment Plant ensures safe, reliable and cost-effective water reclamation for the 1.8 million Coloradans who rely on the essential public service we provide.”

Construction of the Northern Treatment Plant was completed on schedule and the $417 million total program cost was nearly $60 million less than original budget estimates. This includes design and construction of the treatment facilities and a nearly 7-mile pipeline that uses gravity, not pump stations, to transport flow to the plant.

“This is one of the largest progressive design-build municipal water projects ever delivered in the U.S.,” said CH2M Chairman and CEO Jacqueline Hinman. “The innovative delivery process allowed for the greatest level of collaboration with all project stakeholders, while maintaining a keen focus on safety. We applaud the Metro District’s foresight in delivering a technologically advanced treatment facility that will make a great difference in our community, protect our environment and preserve critical water supplies for our growing region.”

The Northern Treatment Plant strengthens the Metro District’s more than 50-year track record of environmental stewardship. The new facility features the latest proven water reclamation technologies to protect the South Platte River, alongside onsite resource recovery for energy generation and agricultural applications.

“Protecting the environment is the very reason for the Metro District's existence,” Gerali said. “We were formed in 1961 to clean up the South Platte River and the Northern Treatment Plant strengthens our more than 50-year legacy of environmental stewardship.”

The Northern Treatment Plant provides community amenities with opportunities for public recreation and education. The facility includes more than a mile of riverside trails and seating around a wetland area. Ultimately, these trails are designed to serve as a connection with a regional trail system that is envisioned to extend from Wyoming to New Mexico. The new facility’s Administration Building includes educational exhibits to inform visitors about how water reclamation protects the South Platte River and benefits the environment.

For more information, visit the Metro District’s website at www.metrowastewater.com.

Source: Metro Wastewater Reclamation District

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