$258 Million Wastewater Treatment Plant Begins Operation

APRIL 2017 – A new advanced wastewater treatment plant which will eventually serve 300,000 customers across five Colorado metropolitan cities is now treating wastewater after 45 months of construction and commissioning. The $258 million plant is one of the largest progressive design-build wastewater treatment plants constructed in the United States to date.

With a rapidly growing community, Metro Wastewater Reclamation District began planning for the Northern Treatment Plant back in 1982. The new facility has capacity to treat 24 million gallons per day (MGD) with a buildout to 60 MGD.

Since construction started in late 2012, Garney has constructed more than 32 structures totaling more than 300,000 square feet of building footprint, 24 miles of yard piping, 3,000 valves, and 14 miles of interior piping that span the 100-acre site in Brighton, Colorado. Garney crews self-performed 950,000 man-hours over a 3.5 year construction period.

Construction and commissioning was completed by Fall 2016. Commissioning activities ensured the new facility would not only meet or surpass all regulatory requirements, but would also do so in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The plant has been fully operational since late September 2016.