Background 

The Patagonia utility provides drinking water, as well as wastewater collection and treatment services, to residential and commercial customers. Improvements to the wastewater collection system and construction of the current wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) were completed in 2004 and were partially funded with a Border Environment Infrastructure Fund (BEIF) grant from NADB.

The wastewater collection system operates by gravity and consists of approximately four miles of 6-, 8- and 10-inch gravity sewer lines, serving 464 connections. The wastewater has an extended aeration system with the capacity to treat 110,000 gallons per day (gpd) and currently receives an average daily flow of 45,000 gpd.

Description

The project consists of improvements to the following WWTP components:

• Basin walls,
• Secondary treatment system,
• Chemical dosing system,
• Coarse bubble aeration,
• Sludge quick coupling & pump piping,
• Phoenix belt press (proprietary equipment),
• Reuse water system, and
• Instrumentation and control components.

 If funding is sufficient, improvements to the sludge dewatering conveyor will also be included.

Benefits

The Project will eliminate the risk of plant failure that could result in approximately 45,000 gallons per day (gpd) of untreated or inadequately treated wastewater discharges to Sonoita Creek, a tributary of Patagonia Lake. Upgrading equipment and the treatment process will ensure full compliance with applicable discharge regulations, as well as increase the operational efficiency of the wastewater system by reducing energy costs and maintenance requirements.