Sundance WRF Improvements

Buckeye, AZ

PACE provided planning, design, and permitting services for the initial development and expansion phase of the Sundance Water Reclamation Facility (WRF). The initial construction of the WRF provided a treatment capacity of 1.2 MGD utilizing a two-tank hybrid sequential batch reactor (SBR) process for biological oxidation of organics and secondary clarification, followed by tertiary filtration and UV disinfection to produce effluent meeting Arizona Title 18 Class A+ Reclaimed Water Standards for unrestricted reuse. Design included underground process tanks and common wall construction to minimize site footprint and control odor for local neighborhoods. Phase 2 expanded the facility’s treatment capacity to 3.6 MGD to accommodate the community’s wastewater needs. Modifications were made to the lift station, headworks, filters, UV disinfection, and discharge pumping system to support the increased treatment capacity in this expansion.

Phase 3A renovations replace the headworks with 6mm fine screening and grit removal units and divert flows into a new mega-anoxic basin utilizing existing basin infrastructure. The change in configuration optimizes hydraulic and process loading conditions to enhance operation of the SBR process and solids handling. Additionally, improvements include a new headworks odor control system comprised of an activated carbon filter vessel to mitigate impact to the nearby residences. The equipment upgrades allow the Sundance WRF to operate more efficiently while preparing for substantial Phase 3B upgrades, which will transition the SBR process to a 6.0 MGD Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) facility.

PACE also provided a plant-wide power system study and designed a variety of electrical upgrades throughout the facility. The study report included findings analysis and recommendations for selective protective device coordination, equipment evaluation, and arc flash labels. Power and control systems for process equipment, such as motors, blowers, and control panels, were designed to ensure reliable integration with plant operations and expansion requirements. Additionally, our team provided designs for building wide lighting, including specialized lighting systems for classified hazardous locations to comply with relevant safety codes and standards.

Key Features:

• High effluent water quality meeting AZ Class A+ Reclaimed Water Standards for unrestricted reuse
• Noise and odor control systems
• Small site footprint
• Sequential batch reactor treatment process
• Planned phased capacity expansion and process transition of the facility from 3.6 MGD to 6.0 MGD
• Comprehensive short circuit, protective device coordination, and arc flash hazard analysis
• Site lighting design with specialized hazardous area lighting systems