Cherokee Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Reduction Facility

The Cherokee Metropolitan District’s Regional Water Reclamation Facility in Colorado Springs underwent a major renovation and expansion to meet new total dissolved solids (TDS) requirements downstream of the facility. The project was the first progressive design-build project for the District and was completed while the plant remained operational.

Construction of this project included a new headworks, a 13,000 square-foot (SF) pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) housing a reverse osmosis (RO) and pressure membrane ultrafiltration system, as well as seven evaporation ponds totaling 40 acres to handle the concentrate leaving the RO facility.

Since the project took place at an existing treatment plant that had to remain in operation throughout construction, Garney used a 3 million gallon per day (MGD) bypass during two critical tie-ins for the influent line to the new headworks and a tap into the existing effluent line. Bringing the project online consisted of an intricate, phased start-up sequence to ensure the biological micro-organisms were not impacted by the new processes.

Value engineering ideas generated by the progressive design-build team helped save the District approximately $3 million. These ideas included constructing a new splitter box within an existing basin, redesigning the concrete ramps for access to the ponds, and selecting a PEMB instead of a traditional concrete masonry unit (CMU) for the filter building.

The project team’s hard work and dedication to this project ensured that it was not only completed on time and within budget, but also operates effectively and efficiently.