As Washington County continues to grow, finding ways to make the most of the region’s limited water supply is increasingly important. The Washington County Water Conservancy District’s water reuse program is helping address that challenge by finding a new purpose for water the region already has.
Sunrise Engineering is supporting several pieces of this major regional effort, bringing together local knowledge, multidisciplinary expertise, and years of experience working with communities throughout Washington County.
Expanding the Region’s Water Supply Through Reuse
At the heart of the program is a relatively simple idea: use reclaimed water for irrigation so other higher-quality water sources can be preserved and treated for drinking water.
Two water reclamation facilities currently serve the area, one operated by St. George City and another operated by Ash Creek Special Service District in La Verkin. The reuse program will build infrastructure to move reclaimed water from these facilities to irrigation systems throughout the region.
By replacing certain existing irrigation sources with reclaimed water, those higher-quality sources can instead become part of the region’s drinking-water supply.
“The program is designed to make the best use of the resources available by reusing the water we already have,” said Vern Maloy, PE.
It is an ambitious undertaking. Current projects across the reuse system include more than 35 miles of transmission pipeline, distribution piping, four pump stations, a surge tank, forebay, pond, reservoir, and demonstration treatment facility and garden. Future phases are expected to add more pipelines and pump stations, the Warner Valley reservoir, and advanced water treatment infrastructure.
Sunrise’s Role in the Reuse Program
Sunrise is contributing to several important pieces of the overall program.
Our team designed a new pond and pipeline in La Verkin, which is currently under construction, and successfully permitted the pond through Utah Dam Safety. Sunrise is also nearing completion of design work to modify La Verkin’s irrigation system so it can receive water from the new pond at the north end of the community rather than drawing irrigation water from the river at the south end.
Sunrise’s involvement is also expanding. Brad Robbins was selected as one of three program managers helping WCWCD coordinate the numerous projects that make up the reuse program. Sunrise recently received contracts to design two of seven transmission pipeline segments that will ultimately carry water from the St. George Water Reclamation Facility through St. George, Washington, and Hurricane.
Engineering With the Community in Mind
The La Verkin pond presented the Sunrise team with both technical and community considerations.
During design, additional investigation was needed to address potential fault conditions and satisfy Utah Dam Safety requirements. Paul Andersen played an instrumental role in working through those requirements and helping secure the dam safety permit.
The pond’s location created another unique consideration. Because it sits above neighborhoods in La Verkin, the dam will be prominently visible from the community below. The team evaluated several slope-protection options before selecting a concrete-filled turf liner with a desert-colored appearance that better complements the surrounding landscape.
While swimming will not be permitted for safety reasons, the public will be encouraged to walk around the top of the pond.
A Team Effort With a Lasting Impact
The scale of the reuse program has made it a true team effort for Sunrise.
“This project has touched everyone in the St. George office, and every member of the civil team has been a member of at least one of the project teams,” Vern said.
As Washington County prepares for continued growth, the reuse program represents an important investment in making its existing resources go further. By maintaining water for irrigation while increasing the amount of water available for drinking-water treatment, the program is helping build a more resilient water future for the region.
For Sunrise, it is also an opportunity to help shape infrastructure that will serve the communities where our employees live and work for years to come.