Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility Expansion – El Segundo, CA
Client
- West Basin Municipal Water District (WBMWD)
Project Value 
$63 Million
Market
Energy And Environment, Water And Wastewater
Services
Engineering, Program/Construction Management (PM/CM)
We designed and constructed the West Basin Municipal Water District (WBMWD) Phase V expansion of the existing Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility (ECLWRF), using design-build project delivery. We self-performed all of the design work and most of the construction. ECLWRF produces ultra-high-quality recycled water for groundwater replenishment, a seawater intrusion barrier, and various industrial uses. The plant also generates recycled water for irrigation and other general reuse purposes.
Scope And Constraints Of Phase V Improvements
The Phase V project consisted of adding a 30-million-gallon-per-day (mgd) ozonation process for microfiltration pretreatment and expanding the existing advanced treatment process capacities of microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet advanced oxidation using ultraviolet light with the addition of hydrogen peroxide.
The microfiltration process capacity was increased by 7.55 mgd, and the reverse osmosis and ultraviolet process capacities were expanded by 5 mgd each. Work also included adding a 20-mgd Title 22 pretreatment, high-rate clarifier for media filtration, adding a gravity belt thickener solids handling process and solids conditioning tanks, and expanding existing chemical storage and feed facilities. The design was packaged to accommodate an accelerated construction schedule and involved parallel design and construction work. Because of water delivery commitments to industrial customers, the plant was required to stay fully operational for the duration of construction with severe constraints on shutdowns needed for connections to existing facilities.
Process Additions And Facility Upgrades
The ozonation process included liquid oxygen storage and evaporation, ozone generation, and an ozone injection/contactor facility. Microfiltration expansion was accomplished by adding a separate self-contained microfiltration train in parallel with existing microfiltration trains. The sludge dewatering system included gravity belt thickeners, thickened sludge pumps and holding tanks, and sludge conditioning tanks. Other Phase V work included extensive electrical and supervisory control and data acquisition work, multiple upgrades to existing pumping systems including variable-speed drive additions for energy efficiencies, a new storage building, various solids handling improvements, and a site spill containment system.
Project Awards
- 2015 Engineering Project of the Year, Los Angeles Basin Section of the California Water Environment Association
- 2014 Design-Build Merit Award, Design-Build Institute of America Western Pacific Region
