Parker, Colo. has been wrestling with accelerated population growth for decades. The 22-mile square mile Denver suburb swelled from around 300 residents in 1980 to more than 60,000 in 2021, and is one of the fastest-growing communities in the nation. The project included a new headworks facility, the addition of primary clarification, expansion of the advanced water treatment (AWT) equalization, treatment, and pumping capacity, replacement of chlorine disinfection and ultraviolet disinfection, conversion of existing aerobic digesters to autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion (ATAD), capacity upgrades to the dewatering facilities, and new primary plant power, metering and distribution. The requirement to maintain plant operations throughout construction made the project even more challenging.
“We’ve been using BILCO hatches in existing buildings throughout the District. We haven’t had problems with the bulk of the hatches in the past. So why change something if it’s already working? It makes it easier on operations and maintenance when we’ve got the same equipment throughout the district.”
Stephanie Sansom, Parker Water & Sanitation District