The Wastewater System Expansion Program of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., has won the 2012 Wastewater System Project of the Year Award from the Arizona Water Assn. (AZ Water). Atkins, an engineering and design firm, has played a significant role in executing the project, and on May 2, Atkins’ Carmen Kasner, PE, and Kevin Murphy, PE, were recognized at an awards ceremony held during the AZ Water 85th annual Conference and Exhibition in Glendale, Ariz. Kasner was Atkins’ project manager for the wastewater system expansion program. Murphy, who serves in public involvement and technical advisory roles for Atkins, was the city’s previous public works director and has been involved in the program since its inception.
“Nearly every resident in the city was affected by this massive, long-term program that ultimately involved work on 91% of the city’s streets,” said Murphy. “We’re delighted that the city has been recognized by the Arizona Water Assn. for a truly remarkable project.”
Atkins provided engineering and construction management services in the program’s final sewer areas: the Mockingbird, Trotwood and Chemehuevi neighborhoods in the southeastern section of the city. Atkins’ portion of the program involved the largest amount of construction the city has seen in a year. In all, the 10-year program constructed hundreds of miles of new sewer lines, added 4.6 million gal per day in capacity and other upgrades to the wastewater treatment plants and promoted water conservation efforts in the community.
The Lake Havasu City wastewater system expansion helps protect the community’s groundwater by closing more than 20,000 septic tanks and connecting residents to a new community sewer system.
“With an economy heavily dependent upon tourism, boating and fishing, Lake Havasu City understands the importance of good water quality,” said City Engineer Greg Froslie, PE. “The program helps significantly reduce the amount of pollutants reaching the endangered Lower Colorado River, which supplies drinking water to more than 25 million people.”
Substantially completed in November 2011, the program was finished two years ahead of schedule. The final cost of $348 million was more than $100 million under budget.
“It’s hard to describe just how big of an impact the Wastewater System Expansion Program has had on our city,” said Lake Havasu City Mayor Mark Nexsen. “In spite of many challenges, our staff and the engineers took a very invasive project and got it done under budget and ahead of schedule. As a resort destination, our city depends on the health of the Colorado River, and this project’s successful completion has had a significant influence.”
Source: Atkins
