Richard P. Arber Associates, Inc. has completed design of components of the first phase of the Denver Water Recycling Project. The non-potable reuse treatment plant, which will be built in phases, will ultimately treat 45 million gallons of water per day. Construction of the treatment plant has been completed and the plant started up in April 2004.

The source water pump station is located at the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District's Central Plant. Source water is conveyed from a Metro effluent main to the pump station and on to the reuse treatment facility through approximately one mile of 42 inch diameter steel pipeline. The treatment facility consists of flocculation, plate settling, filtration, chemical addition and chlorine disinfection. Sludge is thickened on site using gravity thickeners and conveyed to the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District's Central Plant for final processing.

The first stage of this project is now complete. The second phase of the project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2010, will include approximately 50 miles of 6 to 54 inch pipeline and cost an estimated $100 million. The proposed distribution system will extend as far as the Denver International Airport (DIA). Reclaimed water will be used for landscape irrigation at parks and golf courses and industrial uses.