Water Reclamation Facility on UConn Storrs Campus, Mansfield, CT

Connecticut’s First Industrial Reuse Project 

A $23.5 million Water Reclamation Facility, constructed in 2013, has allowed the University of Connecticut (UConn) to conserve more than 100 million gallons of water each year on its main Storrs, CT, campus. The 10,000-sf facility treats effluent from an adjacent sewage treatment plant using microfiltration and ultraviolet disinfection. Once treated, the water is pumped to a pre-stressed concrete storage tank. About 11,000 feet of high-pressure piping, between 6 inches and 10 inches high, convey the treated water to a central utility plant and athletic fields. The central utility plant, previously cooled by more than 250,000 gallons of freshwater each day, is now cooled with reused non-potable water.  The project also involved piping and equipment modifications at the central utility plant. 

When it's a First, Call Urban

Our estimators relied on their experience with a range of heavy construction projects, including preparation of contractor bids for water and wastewater treatment projects, to develop the estimate. We also recommended incorporating systems integration work, sequencing of pre-stressed tank and yard piping construction, and clarifications to the drawings into the contract documents to reduce the potential for claims. The bottom-up cost estimate closely predicted the actual bid value, allowing the University to tightly program their budget.

Excellence in Conservation

The facility conserves 250,000 gallons of water each day.  The project was widely recognized and received the 2010 Engineering Excellence Award from the American Council for Engineering Companies.