Expanding recycled water treatment capacity for a growing region.
Project Type
Water Reuse & Reclamation
Constructed Value
$116 million (CPI Inflation Adjusted)Delivery Method
Design-Bid-BuildArchitect/Engineer
HDRThe challenge
As demand for recycled water increased across Orange County, Irvine Ranch Water District needed to expand treatment capacity at the Michelson Water Recycling Plant while maintaining operations at the active facility. The expansion required integrating new treatment infrastructure within an operating plant environment and coordinating the demolition and modification of existing facilities that continued to support wastewater treatment processes.
highlights
12 MGD MBR
UV disinfection
Demolition of existing structures
Challenge met
Filanc constructed the new treatment facilities needed to increase plant capacity while keeping the existing plant operational. The work included new headworks structures, primary sedimentation tanks, membrane bioreactor basins, high-rate clarification systems and ultraviolet disinfection facilities that expand recycled water treatment capacity.
The project also included installation of odor control facilities, pumping systems and electrical and instrumentation infrastructure supporting the new treatment processes. Filanc constructed a Unified Thickening and Fermentation facility equipped with gravity thickeners designed to generate supplemental carbon for nitrification, reducing the plant’s need for methanol. By integrating these systems with the existing plant infrastructure, the expansion increased recycled water production and strengthened Irvine Ranch Water District’s ability to deliver reliable reclaimed water to the communities it serves.
Recent Projects
Morro Bay Water Reclamation Facility
MF/RO Facility for Agriculture
