Grant to Help Safford Recycle Wastewater

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Grant to Help Safford Recycle Wastewater

In an Effort to Continue to Conserve Drinking Water, the City of Safford is Looking at Utilizing Recycled Wastewater

According to Safford Planning and Community Development Director Dustin Welker, about 130.5 million gallons of Class A-plus reclaimed water created at the city's wastewater treatment facility is currently not being utilized and is instead being piped away from the community via the Gila River.

But thanks in part to a $135,000 Community Investment Fund grant from Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., the city is looking to build a pipeline from the treatment facility to Downtown Safford to utilize the reclaimed water at various government buildings and Firth Park. Currently, the plant produces roughly 1,100 acre feet of reclaimed water per year with about 700 acre feet being utilized at the Mt. Graham Municipal Golf Course. An acre foot of water is the amount of water covering one acre to a depth of one foot, which is roughly 326,000 gallons.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality lists five classes of reclaimed water, with Class A+ water being approved for applications where there is a relatively high risk of human exposure to potential pathogens in the reclaimed water. Safford's reclaimed water is so sanitized that it is just one step away from being classified as potable water.

The project, which is slated to begin construction in January 2015, will build 9,000 feet of reclaimed water line and will be the first step for the city to replace outdoor watering that is currently using drinking water. Along with government entities, the public will be given the opportunity to tap into the reclaimed water line as well and utilize reclaimed water at a reduced rate from that of drinking water, according to Welker.

"So this is really like the first main leg of what we hope to be a system that eventually is available to everyone," Welker said. "As conservation efforts grow, the system will be expanded into areas throughout the community to reach as many users as possible. As users on the system grow, potable water will be conserved, and the reclaimed water can be utilized for beautifying and sustaining outdoor landscaping. As water is conserved, our water supply will strengthen and our exterior aesthetics will improve, resulting in a more viable location for economic activity."

The grant will fund the purchase of about half of the materials for the project, with the city providing the funds for the other half, labor, equipment and engineering. Construction could coincide with a $2.2 million Downtown improvement project to create bumpouts, crosswalks and landscaping at each intersection on Main Street. That project is state- and federally funded and will now utilize reclaimed instead of potable water.

Source: Eastern Arizona Courier

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