Wastewater treatment plant opens in Oregon, US

The city of Wilsonville in Oregon has opened a $42m rebuilt, upgraded and expanded wastewater treatment plant including modern technology and a new odour system.

Consulting, design, construction, and operations firm CH2M HILL completed the project ahead of schedule and under budget on a design-build-operate (DBO) basis. The company took over the plant’s operations during the construction phase, and will continue to operate it for the next 20 years.

The upgrade increased the capacity of the plant from 2.5 million gallons a day to 4 million gallons a day, with future expansion capabilities of up to 7 million gallons a day, noted the company. The expansion work included the construction of a new dewatering and drying building, as well as a head works building to produce Class A biosolids for land applications and fertiliser.

Wilsonville will be able meet the community’s needs over the next 20 years, and improve the quality of effluent discharged into the Willamette River.

CH2M HILL DBO director Joe Glicker said that teamwork and collaboration are at the heart of DBO projects, and this was key to the successful completion of the new facility in Wilsonville.

"The plant’s expansion benefits the city in so many ways, and will protect the environment and help the community grow for years to come," Glicker added.