Water Reclamation Facility Upgrades Help Keep Chesapeake Bay Clean

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Aug. 17, 2017 -- Anne Arundel County leadership in Maryland recently celebrated the successful completion of upgrades to the Cox Creek Water Reclamation Facility (WRF), designed to drastically reduce pollutants in local waterways.

The facility began processing wastewater earlier this month, improving the quality of water that discharges into the Chesapeake Bay. Black & Veatch is providing construction management and inspection services on the ongoing project, including design review, project controls and budget and schedule management.

The facility upgrades are part of a historic U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiative to restore clean water in the Chesapeake Bay, whose watershed includes six states: Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The WRF’s new membranes and modified clarifiers remove millions of pounds of nitrogen, oxygen-demanding particles and phosphorus discharge that can threaten wildlife and their habitats.

“Reaching this important milestone at the Cox Creek WRF ensures a cleaner wastewater discharge to the Chesapeake Bay area for years to come,” said Darryl Dunn, Black & Veatch Construction Manager. “Since the project began in 2010, our team has worked diligently with the contractor to bring this extremely complex state-of-the-art technology to the community’s 38,500 homes and businesses.”

Innovative water membrane technology implemented at Cox Creek filters microscopic particles with a significantly smaller footprint requirement than traditional wastewater treatment technologies. Phases 2 and 3 of the project, which are currently underway, include construction of a new membrane bio-reactor facility and site electrical distribution system that will provide additional efficiencies and site improvements. The project is expected to be complete by August 2018.

“The Chesapeake Bay restoration effort drove stringent water pollutant limitations for our region,” said Bruce Wright, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Engineering, Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works. “Working in close collaboration with Black & Veatch allowed us to overcome challenges such as working with a confined site, ongoing construction while the plant remained operational and regulatory requirements. In addition, an engineering and constructability review resulted in significant cost savings and a streamlined project schedule.”

Editor’s Notes:

• The EPA established the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load program, a comprehensive "pollution diet" to restore clean water in the Chesapeake Bay and the region's streams, creeks, and rivers.
• To learn more about Black & Veatch’s wastewater treatment capabilities, click here.

About Black & Veatch
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