Central Water Reclamation Facility Project

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As residents of Escambia County are well aware, the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) has embarked on an undertaking of historic proportions – replacing the 73-year-old Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant with a new facility at a site 25 miles to the north. While this process has proven to be extremely challenging, our community has responded in grand fashion enabling us to successfully move forward through each phase of the project. Following in a brief recap of our journey so far, and what can be expected in the future.

Start-Up

Six years after the devastation of Hurricane Ivan on both Escambia County and the Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant (MSWWTP), our community’s dream is becoming a reality. Start up of the new Central Water Reclamation Facility (CWRF) begins the end of August. The last week of August, ECUA will begin the process of diverting flows from the MSWWTP and directing flows to the new CWRF. This is a process that will require several months before 100% of the flow to the MSWWTP has been completely diverted. Prior to start up, all transmission lines, new regional lift stations, and the CWRF were tested using clean water to ensure no leaks or operational issues. Diversion of flows will be determined based on performance of the plant and the ability of ECUA’s partners to take the effluent coming from the plant. Start-up is expected to be completed by January 2011.

Construction

Construction activities for the Main Street started in July 2007 with the initiation of land clearing activities at the new Central Water Reclamation Facility (CWRF) site. Over the next several months contracts were awarded to low bidders and construction began on the new CWRF plant, the new force main, and 3 new lift stations, so that wastewater previously going to the Main Street Plant will be diverted and pumped to the new CWRF. The current schedule has the primary transmission main work being completed during 2009. The construction of the CWRF and the three lift stations requires more time and will be completed in the fall of 2010. Once construction is complete, there will be a period of several months were the new CWRF and lift stations will be starting up, while the Main St. Plant is still in operation. Once all start up is completed, the ECUA will begin the process of shutting down the Main St. Plant, a process expected to take several months. Once the Main St. Plant is completely decommissioned, ECUA will begin the process of demolition and removal to grade of this facility.

Groundbreaking View the Groundbreaking Photos

"It's really happening!" was the phrase of the day as ECUA commemorated the official beginning of the construction phase of the Main Street Replacement Project on Friday, April 11, 2008. With the Main Street Plant as backdrop, nearly 200 citizens and dignitaries came from near (and far!) to participate and 'dig in' the fun. Long-time supporter and visionary of this project, Secretary Holly Benson, Secretary, Agency for Health Care Administration, State of Florida, delivered a key-note address that really set the tone for the day. U.S. Congressman Jeff Miller (R-FL-01), Florida State Representative Clay Ford (R-Dist. 3), and representatives from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection were on hand to show their support and backing of the project.

Environmental Benefits

There are several exciting environmental benefits associated with the new CWRF and its location away from downtown Pensacola. The first is the elimination of the discharge from the Main Street Plant, which currently goes into Pensacola Bay. The new plant will have no surface-water discharge. By replacing the Main St. plant with a new plant 25 miles to the north, there will no longer be a wastewater treatment plant located in a storm surge, flood-prone, area. By eliminating this hazard, ECUA is addressing the threat of future health hazards from discharge of untreated sewage, such as what happened with Hurricane Ivan, and the even more dire threat of our community facing the possible loss of being without wastewater treatment services for days or weeks following a major hurricane event.

Another environmental benefit is the opportunity for reuse of the advanced wastewater treated discharge from the plant. ECUA is collaborating with industrial partners for reuse of the CWRF’s effluent. The CWRF will provide 17 million gallons of effluent per day to be used by Gulf Power’s Crist Plant. ECUA is also working with International Paper to use any available effluent, up to 6 million gallons a day, over and above what Gulf Power will use.

The impact of this cannot be overstated, economically or environmentally, for all three organizations, and the community as a whole. Recycling the effluent discharge via industrial reuse reduces the impact the facility’s processes will have on the environment, while greatly enhancing the efficiency and reducing operational costs of the Crist Plant, International Paper, and the CWRF. Further, as the community grows and wastewater intake increases, the CWRF will be able to provide more beneficial reuse water for uses within the community.

FEMA

The proposed schedule for design and construction of the CWRF and associated systems is predicated on the availability of funds, including $150 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). To ensure that the funds are used in an efficient and timely manner, ECUA has set a very aggressive timetable that we have been able to maintain thanks to the concerted efforts of many agencies and individuals within the community.

Additionally, FEMA, as required by federal law, conducted an environmental assessment to determine what effects, if any, the proposed relocation might have on the community and the environment. Their findings were made available for public comment which has resulted in no negative feedback or concerns and consequently, FEMA has issued Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

Clearing this hurdle has allowed for FEMA’s obligated funds to be released for use, officially moving the process into site clearing and construction phases. CWRF site clearing has been bid and other construction contracts began bidding in summer 2008. The administrative aspects of this phase (i.e. permitting, plans & specs, etc.) were obtained, which allowed for initial construction to begin in the summer of 2008.

The Design Process

Once the site, referred to as the Central Water Reclamation Facility (CWRF) had been chosen, it was time to begin designing the facility. The designing stage incorporated several steps needed to evaluate the future needs of the community. This design process included:

Map of transmission line

Projected flows had to be determined to identify the size and capacity requirements for the CWRF.
Designing a Raw Wastewater Transmission System to redirect wastewater flows from the MSWWTP and three new regional lift stations, as well as other connected lift stations, to the CWRF.
Identifying the best means of treatment for each phase of the water treatment process that met Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) standards for Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) which would allow for industrial, as well as residential, reuse.
Identifying support buildings to be constructed at the CWRF.
Designing a Reclaimed Water Transmission System that will convey reclaimed water from the CWRF to the disposal sites.
Determining the effluent disposal system to be implemented.
Identifying potential industrial reuse partners.

The Site Selection Process

The site selection phase began with the engineering team screening 23 potential sites based on a set of minimal pass/fail criteria. Of those, only 13 were viable based on the needs set forth by ECUA. These remaining sites were evaluated based on several key considerations that included:

Amount of usable land above the Category 5 flood elevation.
Proximity to neighborhoods and homes.
Proximity to ECUA and private water wells.
Grade or slope.
Potential for industrial and other reuse opportunities.
Minimal impact on wetlands, historical and archeological sites.

Ultimately, the site selection process identified a 327-acre parcel off Chemstrand Road, owned by Solutia Inc., as best meeting the criteria set forth by ECUA. This proposed site offered many benefits over the current Main Street Wastewater Plant, such as:

The site’s location is well-buffered from its nearest residential neighbors. Unlike neighbors of the Main Street Facility, they will not see, smell or hear the plant and its operation. In addition to the 327 acres that will serve as the location of the new plant, nearly 2,000 more acres have been purchased by ECUA. This additional acreage will contribute to the buffering of the new plant.
The site is inland and well above the Category 5 flood elevation. The plant will not be subject to flooding and will be more resistant to the impacts of hurricanes.
The site offers industrial reuse that is not economically available at the Main Street location.

Further benefits of replacing the Main Street Facility include:

Use of 21st century technology that will lower plant operation and maintenance costs, while essentially eliminating odors.
Ending direct discharge of treated effluent into surface water.
Accommodating job growth and economic development in the county.
Eliminating a significant impediment to downtown improvement efforts.

The Beginning

As part of a proposal to modernize ECUA’s facilities, the ECUA Board, in 2003, initiated a feasibility study to determine the most cost-effective options for rebuilding or replacing the aging Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant. This initial feasibility study revealed that replacing the plant with a modern facility, in a more central location, offered the best solution for the ECUA, its ratepayers and the citizens of Pensacola and Escambia County. Underscoring this finding, the damage that was caused to the plant when Hurricane Ivan struck in September of 2004 added significant wear and tear and, as a result, the issue of replacing the current plant moved front and center on the community’s agenda.

This prompted ECUA to have its engineering team, Baskerville-Donovan, Inc. and Hatch-Mott MacDonald, develop a facilities plan that would serve as the guiding document to take the new plant from “concept to concrete.” The facilities plan included the site selection and other components that detail the equipment to be used, recommended routes for transmission mains, reuse alternatives and a capital financing plan.

Facilities Plan Phase I Executive Summary

Facilities Plan Phase II Executive Summary

Conclusion

As we move towards this next, exciting phase in the redesigning of our community’s image, ECUA continues to strive to be a trusted partner to the Pensacola community, and to provide information to keep you informed of our progress. We would like to thank all of the individual, agencies, and the community as a whole for their support and dedication toward our efforts, and look forward to continued success as we realize our vision as your utilities authority.

For more information:

The public can learn more by calling 850-969-3391, by e-mailing questions to support@ecua.org*, or by writing to the ECUA, c/o Main Street Replacement Project, 9255 Sturdevant Street, Pensacola, FL 32514.

*Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public-records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.

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