WateReuse Association Honors Macpherson, Clovis Plant
The WateReuse Association has named Linda Macpherson, a vice president of CH2M Hill, a WateReuse Person of the Year and the Clovis Water Reuse Facility, designed, built and operated by the firm, won the WateReuse Award of Merit, according to a recent press release.
The awards were presented during the 24th WateReuse Annual Symposium in Seattle on Sept. 13-16. The association is a nonprofit organization that advances the beneficial and efficient use of water resources through education, sound science, and technology. Macpherson and Eric Rosenblum with the City of San Jose were each named WateReuse Person of the Year. The Clovis facility was among five other reuse projects receiving the Award of Merit.
Macpherson has promoted a global understanding that all water is reused and that reuse does and will play a vital role in maintaining sustainable supplies of water.
“Linda helps communities realize the potential of their once-wasted water and helps the scientific and engineering communities to communicate about reclaimed water without stigmatization,” said City of Albany Oregon’s Public Works Director Diane Taniguchi-Dennis, who nominated Macpherson for the award.
Macpherson's 30 years of experience as an advocate and strategist for sustainable water management have brought her recognition as a leader and expert in conceptualizing and managing the development of environmental educational exhibits.
The Clovis facility is an innovative design-build-operate water reuse project commissioned by Clovis, Calif., to relieve the demand on underground and surface water supplies. It will provide recycled water for irrigation, especially as the region’s population continues to grow. The nearly $40 million facility was completed in February. The 2.8 million gallons per day plant uses low-pressure, high-output ultraviolet lamps for disinfection that require one-third the amount of energy compared to other ultraviolet options. Use of the membrane bioreactor process provides the opportunity for enhanced automation, reduced facility size and superior treatment performance.
Additionally, the Cannibal™ sludge reduction system will reduce the amount of biosolids significantly, and this is the largest application of the technology to date in California. CH2M Hill OMI will operate the facility for 10 years.