On Dec. 12, Wharton-Smith joined global engineering firm Mott MacDonald, St. Johns County representatives, and community members for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Players Club Water Reclamation Facility. See more pictures.
To improve the effluent quality of treated wastewater and produce public-access reclaimed water in Ponte Vedra, Florida, the St. Johns County Utilities Department wanted to consolidate wastewater flows from the Players Club, Inlet Beach, and Sawgrass wastewater treatment plants into one advanced facility.
Wharton-Smith constructed a new 2.4 MGD average daily flow water reclamation facility with headworks equipped with a fine screen, and a vortex grit removal system, bio-trickling filter odor control and carbon polisher, a four-stage Bardenpho treatment process, secondary clarifiers, tertiary disk filters, and ultraviolet disinfection to public access reuse standards. Other components include an energy-efficient aeration system using turbo blowers and fine bubble diffusers, reclaimed water ponds and pumping, chemical feed systems, sludge storage, and dewatering facilities.
The $32 million project was on an accelerated schedule. The design was completed in nine months and construction was substantially completed in 23 months—six months ahead of schedule!
“We’re minimizing impacts on the environment, which is absolutely crucial, by reducing the concentration of nutrients discharged in surface water, and enhancing the quality of reclaimed water delivered to our customers,” County Commissioner Jeb Smith said. “All of this was achieved ahead of schedule. I commend everybody—from our staff to those involved in construction. Thank you all for doing it and doing it ahead of schedule,” he added.
Congratulations to the project team of Robert Lightsey, Matthew Peterson, Brent Oskin, Martin Gonzalez, Rey Rodriguez, Josh Howell, Bill McMullen, Andrew Lanphier, Alex Edwards, and Justin Risnear.
