Brown and Caldwell selected as owner advisor for the design-build of treatment plants to remove PFAS from groundwater

Walnut Creek, California-based Brown and Caldwell announced Sept. 8 that the city of Anaheim, California, has enlisted the company to provide owner advisory services for the design-build delivery of multiple groundwater treatment plants.

The new facilities will play a role in Anaheim’s efforts to be compliant with recent state per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulations and ensure water supplies continue to meet state and federal quality standards.

Following a PFAS pilot program undertaken by the Orange County Water District to identify a local remedy to remove trace amounts of the manmade chemicals from groundwater, Anaheim is installing multiple groundwater treatment plants to eliminate PFAS from local groundwater supplies.

The heat- and water-resistant chemical properties of PFAS make them difficult to remove through chemical and biological processes in conventional water and wastewater treatment, therefore, new technologically advanced plants are required. The total construction budget of the groundwater treatment plants program is estimated to be $80 million to $100 million, delivered in three phases, and three design-build projects, over five years.

Earlier this year, Orange County water agencies took more than 40 drinking water wells in north and central Orange County out of service, temporarily resulting in increased reliance on costlier water supplies imported from Northern California and the Colorado River. Long term, county water agencies are constructing new treatment facilities to remove PFAS from drinking water wells and provide a local supply.

“This is an important project for Anaheim to alleviate our reliance on imported water supplies. With many of our wells shut down, we are developing groundwater treatment options to be able to use affordable, safe and dependable local groundwater for the long-term benefit of customers,” Anaheim Public Utilities Assistant General Manager Michael Moore says.

As owner advisor, Brown and Caldwell will assist Anaheim in the planning, procurement and construction of the groundwater treatment plants. The firm’s responsibilities include procurement planning, project technical requirements definition, evaluating the best available delivery method, procurement support to identify and select design-build entities, and construction oversight.

“We applaud Anaheim for their forward-thinking approach to navigating the regulatory landscape and providing their customers with a quality, affordable water supply,” Brown and Caldwell Project Manager Rod Pope says. “We look forward to collaborating with Anaheim’s leadership and the chosen design-build entities to make this project a success.”

Presently, Anaheim is defining the projects and performing pilot testing for the first phase of projects. Design, construction and commissioning of the new facilities is expected to start by spring 2021 and be complete by spring 2023.