The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Catskill-Delaware Ultraviolet (UV) Disinfection Facility, the largest ultraviolet water treatment facility in the world, was recently recognized by the International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA) with the ?UV Engineering Project of the Year Award.? This award is given every two years in recognition of an exemplary field application of ultraviolet technology, and for innovation, excellence and impact on society.
CH2M HILL, in partnership with Arcadis, was construction manager and shared in this prestigious award which was presented at the IUVA World Congress in Las Vegas on Sept. 25.
Additionally, Engineering News-Record (ENR) announced recipients of the ?ENR New York?s 2013 Best Projects Award.? The Catskill-Delaware facility was selected as the winner in the Water/Environment category and is one of four finalists soon to be chosen as ?Best Overall Project.? The building teams will accept their award on Nov. 6 in New York City.
As part of a joint venture team, CH2M HILL provided construction management services for the $1.4 billion project, including operations consulting, coordination of four major prime contractors working on the site and several related offsite projects.
?The Catskill-Delaware UV facility is the largest of its kind in the world,? says Paul Whitener, CH2M HILL program director. ?The facility treats 2 billion gallons of water per day and delivers safe water to New York City and lower Westchester County?s 9 million residents. Working closely with the New York City DEP and the entire design and construction team, we helped deliver a unique facility that is setting the standard for other water municipalities looking to incorporate UV technology into their treatment processes.?
New York City?s water supply is the largest unfiltered system in the nation. The city?s three watersheds (Catskill, Delaware, and Croton) extend 125 miles and include 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes; the Catskill and Delaware watersheds supply 90 percent of the city?s drinking water.
UV treatment technology is not a new concept and has been used extensively for wastewater post disinfection; however, the Catskill-Delaware facility, completed in 2012, is the first treatment plant to incorporate UV water-treatment on such a large scale. Designed to meet future regulatory requirements, the UV facility provides an additional layer of protection to keep the city?s drinking water safe by disinfecting water-based bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illnesses.
CH2M HILL employees Todd Elliot and Paul Swaim, former IUVA President, shared valuable tips for water municipalities interested in installing and starting up UV disinfection facilities at the IUVA World Congress. Learn more by reading their Access Water blog ?Lessons Learned During Installation and Start-Up of Municipal Drinking Water UV Disinfection Facilities.?
