Cave Creek Water Reclamation Plant Re-design

The Cave Creek Water Reclamation Plant in Arizona was closed in 2009 because of slow population growth. Current population growth has created an opportunity to reopen the plant. Design improvements will start with water intake at the influent pump station, which passes through a series of screens and through the grit removal station. At the primary clarifier, most of the water will pass through to the aerator, while the rest will go to the sludge holding tank to be dewatered. The water from the sludge will be returned to the influent pump station and sent back through the process, and the dry sludge will be taken to a landfill. After passing through the aerator, a second sludge step will be conducted in which most of the water will pass through sand filters, and the rest will be transferred into the sludge holding tank. From the sand filter, the water will make its way through ultraviolet disinfection. The ultraviolet lamps will include quartz sleeves for reduced maintenance, and low-pressure lamps will be used to reduce energy use and carbon footprint. After disinfection, sodium hypochlorite will be injected to further disinfect the water. The finished product will be stored in the effluent storage tanks and then sent down to the wastewater treatment plant for further treatment.