Operator Services for the Advance Water Purification Program

The City of Tucson, Tucson Water Department has rights to Class A+ secondary treated effluent from Pima County’s existing water reclamation facilities and intends to implement further advanced treatment for potable distribution, in compliance with Arizona Administrative Code, Title 18, Chapter 9, Article 8. The new Advanced Water Purification Facility will be capable of producing 2.5 million gallons per day (MGD). The purpose of the Project is to utilize a portion of the City’s local water resources, including its effluent entitlement, to diversify the City’s water resource portfolio. By purifying and reusing up to 2.5 MGD annually, the Project aims to improve water quality, water supply reliability, address distribution system capacity issues due to PFAS-related well shutdowns, and provide long-term conservation benefits for both the local community and the Colorado River system. Currently, the City is in negotiations with a design-build firm (Design-Builder) to design and construct the AWPF. The Operator, pursuant to its O&M Agreement with the City, will be required to coordinate with and provide input to the City and the Design-Builder in connection with the design and construction of the AWPF. However, the Operator’s primary responsibility will be the operations and maintenance of the AWPF, and the Design-Builder (not the Operator) will be responsible for its design and construction.

In October 2023, City’s Mayor and Council adopted the One Water 2100 Plan (Plan). The Plan is Tucson’s comprehensive, long-range plan that aims to protect the reliability and quality of Tucson’s water supply through 2100. It recognizes the interconnectedness of our surface water, groundwater, recycled water, and stormwater supplies and plans for a future where the region’s water supply portfolio is increasingly diversified, and water demands are well managed. One of the strategies identified by stakeholders was to begin purifying recycled water to drinking water standards. The City has an agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation to build an AWPF in return for foregoing some of its Colorado River allocation that will help Tucson Water reduce reliance on surface and groundwater and maximize the use of local water resources.

The City expects that the Operator will provide operations-related input into design of the AWPF, participate in training, witness the commissioning and performance testing and execute efficient operations of the AWPF over the long-term. The following are the high-level features and overall objectives of the Project:

• The AWPF is expected to produce 2.5 MGD of potable water with direct conveyance to the potable distribution system.
• The AWPF will receive effluent from one of Pima County’s existing water reclamation facilities (as a primary source) and the City’s reclaimed system (as a secondary source), as influent to the AWPF with product water from the AWPF in direct conveyance to the potable distribution system. The City of Tucson’s current preference is to locate that AWP Facility at Pima County’s Agua Nueva Water Reclamation Facility. A site assessment is currently in progress.
• Final completion of the AWPF by the Design-Builder is expected by June 1, 2031, with the operating term commencing on the earlier achievement of substantial completion by the Design-Builder.
• Integration of the Operator in a collaborative method to enhance the design of the AWPF from an operations perspective.
• Establish long-term operations and maintenance of the AWPF utilizing a qualified Operator to provide reliable, efficient facility performance and sustained compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulatory requirements throughout the life of the facility.