Regional Optimization Master Plan and Program Implementation

Greeley and Hansen was commissioned by the Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department (PCRWRD) to provide Program Management services for the expansion, upgrades, and new facilities required for the two major metropolitan treatment plants, plant interconnect pipeline, and centralized biosolids treatment and beneficial reuse facility resulting from the Regional Optimization Master Plan. 

Greeley and Hansen was responsible for scope, schedule and budget management for the design and construction of facilities to meet the program goals of Pima County, which were to meet the new effluent standards by the regulatory mandated schedule within the program budgets. The scope included construction of a new 32 MGD wastewater treatment plant, significant upgrades and expansion of an existing 50 MGD plant, upgrades, expansion and centralization of the biosolids handling and treatment facilities, construction of a five-mile plant interceptor sewer, and construction of a new centralized laboratory.

The Program Management team prepared the technical scope documents to procure engineering design services. Our scope included review of all subsequent design reviews for conformance with the technical requirements and design guidance and review of design and contract documents from design consultants. Prior to design of each element of the program, Greeley and Hansen made an evaluation of the possible project delivery to determine which project delivery best met the needs of the County. A range of design-build, CM-at-Risk and design-bid-build methods were implemented.

For Program Controls, Greeley and Hansen prepared a master budget and schedule for all program elements along with a work breakdown structure developed to monitor progress on each element and phase of the project. The comprehensive schedule maintained by the program manager included interfaces of all projects within the program and tracked permit submittals and approvals to avoid permitting delays. All regulatory deadlines were successfully met and there were no permitting delays. 

Project Highlights: 

• Recognized with Engineering Excellence Honor Award by American Council of Engineering Companies of Arizona 
• Met regulatory and system capacity needs 
• Enhanced environmental benefits and water quality in the Santa Cruz River 
• Improved system-wide performance and reliability 
• Beneficial reuse of biosolids 
• Delivered cost-savings