Norman WRF Phase 2 upgrades honored by ACEC-Oklahoma

As part of the largest capital improvement project in the City of Norman’s history, Garver helped the Norman Utilities Authority (NUA) incorporate regulatory changes, increase capacity, and improve aging infrastructure at its Water Reclamation Facility.

Phase 2 upgrades expanded the WRF’s capacity from 12 to 17 million gallons per day, allowing it to process and treat wastewater with increased reliability, and meet new water quality requirements for discharge into the Canadian River. Additional facility improvements included the RAS/WAS pump station, headworks and odor control, and expanding aeration facilities.

By maximizing the use of existing infrastructure and incorporating operational flexibility to support long-term needs, Garver helped the project stay $1.5 million under budget. It was also recently honored by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Oklahoma with an Engineering Excellence Honor Award.

“The key to the successful completion of the Phase 2 improvements was clear communication among Garver, NUA staff, and the contractor,” said Project Manager Kyle Kruger. “We worked with the NUA and the contractor so that implementation was as smooth as possible, which helped maximize the investment made in the facility.”

Garver coordinated with NUA staff during the design process to identify and alleviate future operations and maintenance concerns and prequalify potential contractors for project delivery. To implement process-improving operations, Garver developed an operations and maintenance manual, while assisting with equipment start-up and providing training for facility staff, allowing operators to fully integrate into the new system for better efficiency.

A component of the design required master planning for future biological nutrient removal, considering the projected treatment needs of the growing community.

Garver is celebrating its centennial year in 2019. To learn more, visit our centennial celebration page.