Plans are now underway for the creation in Phoenix of an advanced water purification facility that is expected to be operational within the next decade.
As proposed, the facility will be a part of the existing 91st Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant and will be designed to recycle wastewater into drinking water.
Upon completion, the facility, in a city always thirsty for water, could serve up to 200,000 homes on an annual basis.
In her State of the City address earlier this month, Mayor Kate Gallego remarked that by “augmenting our existing 91st Avenue regional facility with advanced investment technology, we will recycle around 60 million gallons per day upon completion.”
In an interview with the Arizona Republic, Gallego also remarked: “It’s a new bucket for us. For a lot of my life, I’ve been thinking about where you get that next bucket from, so it’s exciting.”
By design, what is expected to be a multibillion-dollar facility will filter wastewater that is already being processed and released into the Salt River. The technology, known as direct potable reuse, cleans water poured into the drain of a home before sending it back to be reused.
Other growing Arizona cities, including Glendale, Mesa, Tempe, and Scottsdale have signaled an interest in contributing to the new facility and enjoying its services. Those cities comprise the Sub-Regional Operating Group which has an ownership stake in the 91st Avenue plant.
Troy Hayes, director of water services for Phoenix, recently indicated to the publication Axios Phoenix that the new facility could eventually prove to be a “drought resistant” source of water.
By Garry Boulard
