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SolutionsA REPORT FROM BLACK & VEATCH • NO. 1, 2010

Reaching No. 1 in TelecommunicationsPage 8

Smart Grid:From Concept throughCompletionPage 6

Sustainable Water Project in ScotlandPage 15

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Everyone enjoys a good competition. Whether we’retalking horses racing down to thewire, Olympic speed skating, or Formula 1 or NASCAR driversroaring toward the checkered

ag, there’s the suddenexhilaration over who crosses the

nish line rst. Business can bethe same way – companies aregiven a task, a schedule and

budget, then a deadline. Let’s seewho performs best.

That was never more evident than in a recent telecommunications project, in which ve companies, including Black & Veatch, were allgiven a complex assignment and only three weeks to complete – allin the dead of winter and its raging snowstorms ( see page 10 ). I’m

proud of our professionals, because Black & Veatch was the onlycompany of the ve to complete the dif cult task on-time and on-

budget. I point out this story, not to be boastful, but to demonstratehow competitive business is today and the role listening can play indelivering solutions to the most dif cult challenges. The only wayto accomplish what we did for this particular client was by fully

understanding their needs and then executing the plan withdiscipline and excellence.

We take listening to our clients very seriously, and we spread itthroughout our global workforce. For instance, earlier this year, wehosted a client panel representing each of our business lines, and more than 350 of our leaders heard rsthand a very candid discussion from the clients about their needs and how we can better serve them. But beyond that, we captured those discussions on videoand placed key segments on our intranet, viewed by thousands of our other professionals. We really want our global workforce to hear what you have to say!

Our goal with the client panel was to understand what clients wanted from their service provider. While each client said it in differentways, the bottom line went something like this: “We want world-class innovation and solutions, we want you to truly understand our

business and our drivers, and do it for a competitive price, quickly,reliably and at low risk to us.” That message hasn’t changed muchthroughout the years, but the level of intensity and passion has mostde nitely increased. Our clients are also delivering another clear message – “Help us do more with less – less personnel, lessresources, less funding – yet the strong results still need to be there.”I’m sure you can relate to some of these messages we’re hearing.

We extended our desire for further listening with the recentcompletion of our fourth annual “Strategic Directions in the ElectricUtility Industry Survey” ( see News in Brief, page 5 ). The survey isone more opportunity to hear exactly what is on your mind. Thatsurvey, garnering more than 325 participants from a broad range of

both investor-owned and public utilities, showed that your growthexpectations have been ratcheted down, that capital spending hasdropped two years in a row – the rst time since the 1930s – and thata retirement “balloon” could strike in the next two to three yearswithin your workforce, once the markets recover enough to makeretirement affordable again. These are all formidable challenges thatwe’re working to address today.

In the UK, we listened extensively during the design stages of theGlencorse Water Project in Edinburgh, Scotland ( see page 15 ). Our clients clearly stated they wanted the natural beauty of the rollinghills preserved, despite the need for a 175-million liter per day water treatment works sitting squarely in the middle of this pristine country.The result of our listening? A unique solution that puts the majorityof the facilities underground and out of sight. While the project isstill ongoing, it is clear we’re going to nish this race strong, creatingvalue for our clients. This practice of listening allows us to better understand our clients’

business models and their challenges. It means we ask a lot of questions, probe further, challenge certain precepts and offer innovative solutions tailored to our clients’ needs. We like turning thetables around on traditional ways of thinking, because it results insustainable solutions that address both today’s and tomorrow’s

business needs. We realize these times are very dif cult, but there’snothing like making lemonade out of lemons. And it seems there isan abundance of lemons these days!

This is all to say that our listening and our unique approach tosolving complex issues is a vital part of the Black & Veatchexperience. It is built into our culture, and we believe we’ve captured evidence of it on the pages of this magazine, as well as in many other stories we could share. We’d like an opportunity to visit with you and

better understand the various challenges facing your business daily.We’re great listeners.

Simply Listening Can Be the Competitive Advantage You NeedLen Rodman: Chairman, President and CEO

BUILDING A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE®

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Page 12 Page 15 Page 22

Contents:6 Smart Grid: From Concept to Completion

By acquiring Enspiria Solutions, Black & Veatch further solidi es its ability to provide a single point of contact for planning, developing and implementing thecomplex Smart Grid infrastructure.

8 Reaching No. 1 ENR ranks Black & Veatch as the top U.S. engineering design company for Telecommunications in 2009.

10 A Towering TaskBlack & Veatch’s Telecommunications Division overcame a challenging projectdeadline – and Mother Nature – to beat the odds and impress a client.

12 Success Grows in OaklandA Black & Veatch power delivery project presents an opportunity for trainingcenter graduates.

15 Now You See It, Soon You Won’tSustainability drives an innovative Scottish water project designed to blend into

the scenic hills.

18 Energy: A 25-Year OutlookFrom greater ef ciency to ongoing changes in the U.S. and global economies,many factors will impact energy’s cost, production and use.

20 Achieving Big Results with Small BusinessesBlack & Veatch’s commitment to working with specialty subcontractors drawsgovernment praise.

22 Arizona Cities Collaborate on a Crowning AchievementTwo neighboring communities in the Valley of the Sun show pooled resources and collaborated to ultimately design, construct and operate the Santan Vista Water

Treatment Plant.

ON THE COVERThe Smart Grid infrastructure features many interrelated components, asdepicted. The recent acquisition of Enspiria Solutions by Black & Veatch

provides clients with comprehensive “concept through completion”expertise in this expanding industry.

Please address comments to:

Black & VeatchMarketing & Communications11401 Lamar AvenueOverland Park, KS 66211 [email protected]

Black & Veatch Corporation isa leading global engineering,consulting and constructioncompany specializing ininfrastructure development inenergy, water, telecommunications,management consulting, federal and environmental markets. Founded in 1915, Black & Veatch developstailored infrastructure solutionsthat meet clients’ needs and providesustainable bene ts. The employee-owned company has more than100 of ces worldwide and hascompleted projects for clients inmore than 100 different countries onsix continents.

For more information and employment opportunities, pleasevisit us at www.bv.com or call us at913-458-2000.

©Black & Veatch Holding Company2010. All Rights Reserved.The Black & Veatch name and logoand POWRTRAK are registered trademarks of Black & VeatchHolding Company. Other servicemarks and trademarks may beregistered trademarks or trademarksof their respective companies.

P BLISHE FOR CLIENTS,ASSOCIATES AN FRIEN SOF BLAC & VEATCH.

Vol. 31, No. 1

Summer 2010

Solutions

BUILDING A WORLD OF DIFFER®

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Experts ProvideClear Viewpoints

On Water’s Murky FutureAustralia’s capacity to secure high-qualitywater supplies for its cities, towns and remotecommunities is being seriously challenged, aBlack & Veatch media forum in Brisbanediscussed during Ozwater ’10.

Eamonn Kelly, Vice President and ManagingDirector of South Asia Paci c for Black & Veatch, said Australia needs to spend some $30 billion (AUD) on urban water infra-structure over the next ve to 10 years. He said the challenge is dealing with short-term politicalcycles when long-term planning is needed.

“We need to spot signposts of change as earlyas possible and give policy makers and

politicians expert guidance so that they canreact quickly with an understanding of bothshort-term and long-term consequences,” Kellysaid. “We must build exibility into systems.”

Kelly is a participant in an ongoing globaldialogue established to learn from other expertsand to adapt those approaches that are suitablefor cities, industry, agriculture and

governments in their own service areas.

B&V IncreasesBay Area Presence

Black & Veatch has expanded its Bay Area presence with a new of ce in downtown San

Francisco. The new of ce houses engineeringand management consulting experts in sixCenters of Excellence: heavy civil engineering,management consulting, renewable energy,Smart Grid, wastewater and water reuse.

“Water scarcity and renewable energyimplementation are signi cant challenges for all who live and work in California,” said Ralph Eberts, Executive Vice President inBlack & Veatch’s global water business.“Solutions we have implemented in other partsof the world, particularly in Australia, provide a

blueprint for sustainable development here inthe Bay Area. In addition, our breadth and depth of expertise both locally and globallyenable us to provide our clients with a single

point of contact for their managementconsulting, energy, water and telecommunications needs.”

As part of the of ce opening ceremony, Eberts,on behalf of Black & Veatch’s Building a World of Difference Foundation, presented a $20,000donation to Water For People.

B&V Continues evelopingLNG Infrastructure

in Rural ChinaChina Natural Gas Co. Ltd. (CNGC) selected Black & Veatch and Chemtex to design and

build a lique ed natural gas (LNG) facility inGuangyuan, located in the Sichuan Province of China. The new facility – the eighth of its kind that Black & Veatch and Chemtex havedeveloped in China since 2005 – will generatemore than 700 tonnes/day of LNG for a varietyof fuel uses.

“China is demonstrating the economic viabilityof using LNG as a clean, portable and reliablefuel source,” said Brian Price, Vice President of LNG technology at Black & Veatch.

The facility will provide natural gas supplies toChina’s West to East gas pipeline during peak usage times or when demand for natural gas isat its highest, usually during cold winter months. New LNG projects will facilitate thegrowth of related equipment and facilities,such as liquefying equipment, storageequipment, containers for transportation, aswell as other accessories.

When completed, the plant will bring the totalclean fuel capacity provided by Black & Veatchto more than 5,000 tonnes/day.

Black & Veatch is now working on its eighthliquefed natural gas (LNG) acility in China.

NEWS IN BRIEF

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With the promise of greater ef ciencies,improved reliability and integration of renewable energy sources, the Smart Grid isincreasingly a critical energy topic. Passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Actof 2009, with $3.4 billion allocated to thedevelopment of Smart Grid technologies, ishelping to drive new utility sector investment.

As the momentum builds in this industry,Black & Veatch stands at the forefront of theseunparalleled business and technologyadvancements. Now, Black & Veatch hasforti ed its leading position in its Smart Grid solution offering to North American utilitieswith the acquisition of Enspiria Solutions, anindustry leader in the strategic planning of

Smart Grid investments and programintegration for utilities.

Rodger Smith, President of Black & Veatch’sManagement Consulting Division, said theacquisition of Enspiria provides clients withcomprehensive “concept through completion”expertise in Smart Grid solutions. Unliketraditional IT systems integrators, Black & Veatchcombines industry, engineering, construction,

business and information technology expertiseto provide a total business perspective for technology solutions.

“Many utilities struggling to manage rapid industry change in the Smart Grid space arelooking for a true ‘concept to completion’

SMART GRI :

From Concept through CompletionBy acquiring Enspiria Solutions,Black & Veatch urther solidifes its ability toprovide a single point o contact or planning,

developing and implementing the complexSmart Grid in rastructure.

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partner,” Smith said. “They trust Black & Veatchto be there every step of the way – as their trusted strategy advisor, for programand project management, and even for the tactical aspects of project deploymentand operations.”

Martin Travers, President of Black & Veatch’sTelecommunications Division, noted,“The Enspiria acquisition complementsBlack & Veatch’s utility automation and telecommunications services. Asinfrastructure, technology and communications converge, Black & Veatch,with Enspiria, is uniquely positioned to

provide our clients with a verticallyintegrated solution to plan and implement

advanced Smart Grid applications and communications networks across the utilityenterprise.”

Providing Tailor-MadeSolutions

Enspiria has built a reputation as a team of industry experts who provide clients withcutting-edge business and technology solutionsthat maximize their IT investments.

“We work with our clients to determine and implement the best products, functionality and integration for each unique situation,” said Chip Scott, former President of Enspiria, and now a Vice President with Black & Veatch.“Our delivery methodology is based rst onunderstanding our clients’ business challengesand then tailoring industry best practices and technologies to suit those speci c challenges.Going forward, our shared clients will enjoythe best of both worlds – customized, boutiqueservice from experts backed by the strengthand vast industry knowledge of the larger Black & Veatch organization.”

Enspiria enhances the extensive depth and breadth of Black & Veatch’s Smart Utilityoffering. Enspiria has helped more than 35

utilities de ne and implement Smart Grid-related projects. For example, Enspiria has been instrumental in helping PECO de ne itsSmart Grid/Smart Meter program.

Supporting an Industry Leader

PECO has been at the forefront of automated meter reading (AMR) technology for the past10 years. Based in Philadelphia, PECO is anelectric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation. In 2004, PECO completed the largest installation of a xed-network,

AMR system in the country and has been anindustry leader in leveraging that technology.

With the implementation of the next generationof advanced metering infrastructure (AMI),Smart Meters and Smart Grid systems, PECOwill once again be at the forefront of leveragingnew technology. Supporting PECO’s positionas industry leader, PECO also was one of sixutilities to receive a maximum $200 millionSmart Grid investment grant from the U.S.Department of Energy.

Enspiria has been supporting PECO as itaccelerates these programs to improve

performance and customer services. Enspiriahas assisted PECO with its strategic planning,

business case development, regulatory lings,implementation and deployment plans, vendor assessment and selection, and tactical executionelements of the program.

The expertise and experience that Enspiria brings will round out Black & Veatch’s existingSmart Grid capabilities.

Encouraging ConsumerEnergy Conservation

Working in partnership with Capgemini and Black & Veatch, a critical member of theCapgemini team, Hydro One Networks, isinvesting in an effort designed to empower customers to better manage their electricityusage and encourage energy conservation.

At Hydro One, Black & Veatch is responsiblefor enabling the existing Customer InformationSystem to bill for electricity usage based on thetime of day. The nal solution will be web-enabled, providing customers informationabout usage patterns and prevailing rates – information that will empower the customer

and encourage use of energy during off-peak hours when rates are less expensive.

According to Smith, utility clients already trustBlack & Veatch with hundreds of millions of dollars of infrastructure investment because of its deep understanding of power generation, so itis natural for utilities to rely on Black & Veatchfor its vast Smart Grid expertise.

“With the addition of Enspiria,” he said,“Black & Veatch is positioned to be the premier provider of Smart Grid technologiesas we help our clients reduce demand,enhance their customer service capabilities,improve reliability and harden their infrastructure to protect it from cyber attacks.”

CONTACT Mehrdod Mohseni303-521-5395

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Reaching No. 1ENR ranks Black & Veatch the topU.S. engineering design company

or telecommunications.

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By capitalizing on broad opportunities inrecent years, Black & Veatch’s Telecommun-ications Division has vaulted to the No. 1 spotin the Engineering News-Record (ENR)rankings of U.S. engineering design companiesfor telecommunications in 2009.

“Black & Veatch starts our interaction withclients by understanding what their needsare so we can develop solutions that bringthem value,” said Martin Travers, Presidentof Black & Veatch’s TelecommunicationsDivision. “We’re proud of having many long-term clients that continue to work with us year after year.”

ENR’s rankings were based on companies’ project revenues. Travers noted thatBlack & Veatch offered many services intelecommunications for a variety of clients.

“This ranking means Black & Veatch has thescale to address large-volume programs for our clients,” he said. “It also means we possess adiversity of skill sets, whether they be for publicnetwork clients or private network clients.”

The company offers a wide-ranging suite of services such as program and projectmanagement; communications consulting;radio frequency design; energy and water utility automation; site acquisition; and architectural, civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering design and construction.

Celebrating Entrepreneurship

Travers credited the “entrepreneurial spirit” of Black & Veatch professionals working intelecommunications for putting in extra timeand effort on projects as the division has grownto serve more clients’ projects.

“We strive to be excellent in what we do, so itis rewarding to receive outside veri cation thatwe’re doing a good job,” he said.

Paul Miller, Black & Veatch Vice President,noted that the private network side of the

business had been growing at a consistent,strong pace the last few years.

“We are working with multiple clients that present repeat business opportunities,” Miller said. “We have proven that we are here for our clients over the long haul and can support their

project needs and ongoing work.”

Expanding Reachand Opportunities

As we move forward, Miller said it is criticalfor Black & Veatch to continue its focus onlistening to clients and executing their projectssuccessfully.

“Our full range of services should make our clients feel more comfortable knowing

Black & Veatch can provide an end-to-end solution for them,” Miller explained.

The public network aspect of Black & Veatch’s business also has grown as the companycontinues project work for a leading nationalcommunications company.

“We have expanded our overall reach in thetelecommunications industry nationwide,”said Dan LeBlanc, Black & Veatch ProgramEngineering Manager. “With our ISO 9001Certi cation, we have developed new

processes and procedures that help us meetclient expectations.”

Black & Veatch CEO Len Rodman considerstelecommunications a critical infrastructure for

people all over the world.

“Communication changes how we live and work as individuals, and it enables newopportunities for businesses and governmentsevery day,” Rodman said. “It is an integral partof all the critical infrastructure services thatBlack & Veatch provides and an area that wehave invested in for a long time.”

CONTACT Paul Miller 913-458-2000

Black & Veatch’s extensive service o erings to both public and private network clients helpedpropel the company to the top spot in the Engineering News-Record (ENR ) rankings o U.S.engineering design companies or telecommunications. Whether adding new equipment on tower(le t photo) or helping with emergency response communications (right photo), Black & Veatchhas the ability to provide program and project management, communications consulting, radio

requency design, construction and more.

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Black & Veatch’s Telecommunications Division overcame a challengingproject deadline – and Mother Nature – to beat the odds and impress a client.

A Towering Task

10 Solutions 2010

Black & Veatch installed energy-e fcient LED lights,such as this one, on 53 towers in our northernstates in less than a month as winter set in.

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It was a task that many service providers mighthave thrown their hands up at: updating thelighting systems on more than fty, 200-foottowers scattered throughout four states – allwithin a tight three-and-a-half-week deadlineand during blustery winter conditions.

But not Black & Veatch’s Kevin Russ. The project manager for Black & Veatch’sTelecommunications Division instead enlisted a super ef cient team, mapped out a solid game plan, “negotiated” with Mother Natureand adopted a “get it done” attitude.

As a result, Black & Veatch was the onlyservice provider of the ve hired that made thedeadline and, in the process, thoroughlyimpressed the client.

“I really have to credit my team,” Russ said.“All of us focused on getting this project doneon time, because we wanted to let the clientknow we can handle any job.”

High Stakes, HigherExpectations

When the client approached Black & Veatch theweek before Thanksgiving 2009, Russ learned exactly how high the stakes were for the project.

“Basically, it was a use-it-or-lose-it budgetsituation,” he said. “Funding for the projectwas available only until Dec. 15, so we had absolutely no wiggle room with the deadline.”

Russ and his team were assigned to upgradethe lighting on 53 of the client’s towers in Ohio,western Pennsylvania, Iowa and Wisconsin. Allof the towers, which measured 200 feet or more, featured strobe lighting and used a mixof 10 various technologies. Upgrading to moreenergy-ef cient LED (light-emitting diode)lighting – similar to what police cars currentlyuse – would streamline the technology and savethe client money.

For example, each strobe light lasts about ayear, whereas each LED light lasts 10 years.

What’s more, LED lights use about an eighthof the power as the strobes do.

“It’s a signi cant capital expenditure to convertall of the lighting systems, but it will save theclient money over time and standardize their inventory,” Russ said. “It’s a smart move froman energy ef ciency standpoint, and therefore aworthwhile sustainability program.”

Ef ciency in swapping out the lighting systemswas also mandatory. Before dismantling atower’s lighting system, Russ had to secure a

NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) from the FederalAviation Administration (FAA). Thisdocumentation would alert airports and pilotsof the tower’s temporary outage. A NOTAMexpires after 15 days.

“The FAA is extremely strict,” Russ explained.“If a light goes out, you have 30 minutes to alertthe agency. If you’re even one minute late, theFAA will ne the tower owner. So, it was criticalthat we get in and get the work done quickly.”

In Sync

After signing on to the project, Russ quickly pulled together a team consisting of twoconstruction managers and six eld crews, whichhad three people per crew. The Black & Veatchteam trained with the LED lighting systemmanufacturer so that crews knew the productinside-out and could complete the upgrade quickly.

Upgrading the lighting system on a tower typically takes between ve hours and aday-and-a-half, and consists of both interior and exterior work, Russ said. A crew mustclimb the tower, dismantle the old lights and install the new ones. Then, they have to installthe controller panel and monitoring system,and test these components to make sure thelights work.

While this sounds simple enough, the

Black & Veatch crew had to contend withwinter weather, including three blizzards and two major ice storms in the areas they wereworking. Luckily, Black & Veatch had an edge:

Russ and Construction Manager Neill Flyntused to work together in the ski industry yearsago and were pros at planning around inclement weather.

“Our plans changed daily so we had to remainexible, yet maintain the schedule and not

waste any time,” Russ explained. “On clear days we did the tower work, and on bad dayswe did the interior work. We’d take down threeor four sites at once so that we could juggle thework around the weather.”

As the project lead, Russ also stayed in constantcontact with the client and manufacturer of thelighting system. He created a database containingthe names and phone numbers of all key contactsso that each construction manager and crewmember would know who to reach if they needed information.

“This really kept everybody on the same pageand helped us avoid any potential roadblocks,”

Russ said.

Once the project was completed, Russ learned from the client that none of the other four service providers were able to nish theupgrades on deadline. But the Black & Veatchteam came through.

“We de nitely proved that Black & Veatch hasthe resources and expertise to pull off a projectof this scope,” Russ said. “I know we impressed the client, so hopefully they will immediatelythink of Black & Veatch for future projects.”

Side-marker lights were included in the lightingupgrade work per ormed by Black & Veatch in the tight time rame.

CONTACT Kevin Russ203-437-1969

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“Do the right thing!”The words hang in the air – and even on a

banner on the wall – of the drafty warehouseserving as home base for the constructioncrews of the CX3 underground transmissionline project in Oakland, Calif.

It’s 7 a.m. on a Monday at the warehouse, and daylight is the only no-show thus far on thisrainy morning. That leaves the assembled work crews’ orange safety vests sporting re ectivetape as the brightest parts of this fresh butdreary day.

No matter. Monday morning, rain or shine,means it’s time for the project’s weekly safetymeeting. The safety meeting is huge.Supervisors from Underground ConstructionCo., Inc., (UCCO), the subcontractor thatBlack & Veatch is working with on the projectfor Paci c Gas & Electric (PG&E), remind thecrews of best practices, lessons learned and even emphasize points such as turning onvehicles’ headlights if the windshield wipersare running. No detail noticed during the past

12 olutions 2010

Success

GROWSin OaklandA Black & Veatch power delivery project presentsan opportunity or training center graduates.

Workers on the CX3 underground transmission line project in Oakland,including recent graduates o the CypressMandela Training Center, Inc., listenattentively at their weekly sa ety meeting.

RIGHT: A grate ul David Stewart creditsCypress Mandela or helping him becomemore disciplined, accountable and ocused.

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week is too small to go unspoken during theMonday safety meetings. Details are golden,and safety is the gold standard to which thethree companies aspire.

To punctuate their points, the UCCOsupervisors end each reminder with the same

phrase: “Do the right thing!”

It’s good advice that bears repeating. And,some of the newer workers on this job knowthe lesson perhaps better than their experiencewould indicate.

* * *

By “doing the right thing” on three previouscomplex underground transmission projects inthe San Francisco region, Black & Veatch hasearned the trust of PG&E and the right tocontinue supporting the utility’s transmissionwork that has crossed the bay into Oakland.The CX3 project winds its way under 3.5 miles

of Oakland’s city streets and will carry 230 kVupon completion.

As noted, Black & Veatch is quite experienced in underground transmission projects, and thecompany continues adding to its extensive

power delivery resumé with every successful project. One of the many reasons for Black &Veatch’s success is the company’s attention todetail. The variables unique to each project arenot overlooked.

For instance, in the CX3 project, the UCCOcrew included 18 recent graduates from theCypress Mandela Training Center, Inc., of Oakland. When he rst heard about the newworkers, Rene Medrano, a veteran RegionalSafety Manager for Black & VeatchConstruction, Inc., recalled some of his pastexperiences with “greenhorns,” or new workers.

“We usually deal with professionals, linemen, journeymen and apprentices who have had more training in a structured environment,”Medrano said. “I know of the hazards,

potential hazards and potential injuries thatcan occur in the eld, so I was apprehensiveas a safety professional.”

Even without hearing the “Do the right thing!”mantra that would become associated with theCX3 project, Medrano proceeded to do just that.He and his safety counterparts from UCCO setup a ve-day, 50-hour safety program for theCypress Mandela graduates. It didn’t takeMedrano long to learn that the graduates wereall about “doing the right thing.”

“It was stunning to see their reactions as wetaught them the safety lessons,” recalled Medrano with a slight bit of awe in his voice,even a few months after the training sessions.“They hung on every word we said. Theysoaked up all the information we told them.They actively participated in the training, and they were very appreciative of our efforts.”

By the second day of training, Medrano had seen for himself the near miracle that isCypress Mandela.

* * *

When Art Shanks answered the phone one dayin 1993, he wasn’t sure he wanted to heed thecall of the request being proposed to him. Therequest was huge – starting a new trainingcenter for the construction trades in Oakland.At the time, Shanks was running a formalized

joint apprenticeship and training committee innorthern California. He had put in his timeteaching and training. He was set, and he didn’tneed another challenge in his working career.

But the Oakland group persisted. Shanks had

always known he was blessed, and the request provided another time for him to pause and re ect on his life. He grew up with two parentswho taught him right from wrong and held himaccountable. His career in the militaryaugmented the discipline that owed throughhis veins. Shanks realized, once again, that hisupbringing was the exception in his community.He understood that he could use his lifeexperiences to improve the lives of people whodidn’t have his background, and in many cases,didn’t know – or care to know – the differences

between right and wrong.

“We develop them so theycan go back into their communities and bridgethose gaps there. What we’relooking for is ‘positivity.’”

– Art Shanks, Cypress Man

The CX3 project marked Black & Veatch’sf th underground transmission line projectwith Pacifc Gas & Electric in the Bay Area inrecent years.

Art Shanks, Executive Director o CypressMandela, discusses the training center’scurriculum, which builds students up so theycan handle working in the construction tradesand navigate more smoothly through li e.

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So, Shanks did the right thing. He went toOakland and helped open the training center that would become Cypress Mandela. ButCypress Mandela represents much more than arun-of-the-mill training center or trade school.Many young adults that enter Cypress Mandelaare troubled. For some, the issue is comingfrom a low-income background. For others,however, the problems run deeper, such assubstance abuse or being at the wrong end of the legal system.

Cypress Mandela means change – drasticchange – in the lives of its students. Thestudents receive training in two parts, the rstof which Shanks labeled a “preapprenticeship

boot camp” that lasts 16 arduous weeks.Students must be drug free. They endure arigorous exercise and calisthenics regimen.Discipline is stressed every step of the way,from shirttails that are always tucked in to the“Yes, sirs,” and “No, sirs,” that become a stapleof their vocabulary.

“We teach them love, respect and honor,”Shanks said in his authoritative voice. “We

develop them so they can go back into their communities and bridge those gaps there. Whatwe’re looking for is ‘positivity.’”

Shanks and his staff mentor the students in lifeskills, such as toxic relationships, proper nutrition, sexual harassment, domestic violenceand chemical dependence.

In the second part of the training, studentslearn to use tools and get introduced to an arrayof construction elds. When the students

graduate from the program 14 weeks later,Shanks said they have 17 units of college creditand nine certi cations in different aspects of construction.

Recent Cypress Mandela graduate DanielWheeler, who worked with UCCO on theCX3 project, said, “I’ve learned that I can doreally hard work, really good, and I de nitelyattribute that to Cypress Mandela as well asmy co-workers.”

Fellow graduate David Stewart said, “WhenI heard about Cypress Mandela, I knew it wasa place I needed to be. The mentoring helped me in my discipline, has helped me becomeaccountable and has helped give me moredirection.”

Shanks enjoys saying that Cypress Mandelagraduates are “the most employable in theworld. We want them to be motivated, and wewant them to stay out of trouble and do theright things.”

There’s that phrase again. It carries weight atthe safety meetings, and it certainly carries

weight at Cypress Mandela. Since its opening,Cypress Mandela has placed more than 1,800graduates into bona de apprenticeship

programs. Shanks noted the program is aligned with the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), the building trades, the FederalHighways Administration, CalTrans, theJustice Department, the Probation Departmentand 32 local judges.

“You name it, and we’re sanctioned and endorsed by pretty much everybody,” he said.

Count Black & Veatch, UCCO and PG&Eamong businesses endorsing Cypress Mandela.

“These graduates have an added componentthat every team needs for success – enthusiasm!” said Medrano of Black & Veatch.

George Albright, UCCO Executive Supervisor,said he was impressed with the CypressMandela program and graduates.

“It’s a positive experience and a positiveenvironment,” he said after visiting the trainingcenter. “I left there rejuvenated, and I look forward to working with their graduates

because of what I saw.”

Jim Strickland, PG&E Lead Inspector, also liked what he saw from the Cypress Mandelagraduates. He said it was important for companies to seek out young adults such as theCypress Mandela graduates to work on projects.

“It’s twofold: We need people to replace peoplewho are retiring from PG&E and thecontractors,” Strickland explained.“Also, we would like to give back to thecommunity and make the community be partof the work that’s going on.”

Or, to put it another way – “Do the right thing!”

Students review a lesson in construction mathematics. In an industry dominated bymeasurements, dimensions, weights and pressures, a command o mathematics isnecessary or the students to succeed.

Li e in the trenches: A construction worker helplay transmission lines six eet below the ground through the busy streets o Oakland.

CONTACT Dave Abrams913-458-2000

8/6/2019 Solutions 20101


Now You

See It,

Sustainability drives aninnovative Scottish Waterproject designed to blendinto the scenic hills.

Soon You Won’t

Much o the new Glencorse Water Projectnear Edinburgh is being built below ground to achieve a zero visual impact in the scenicPentland Hills. When fnished, the treatmentbuilding will sport a grass roo so it will blend inwith its surroundings.

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When completed, the Glencorse Water Project inScotland will represent one of the bestsustainable projects you’ll barely – if ever – see.

Nearly 450,000 residents in the Scottish capital,Edinburgh, will bene t from the project toimprove their water supply. For one of the largestwater supply projects in its history, Scottish

Water selected Black & Veatch as design and construction partner. The project requires thecompletion of a 175 megalitre per day(approximately 46.2 million gallons per day)water treatment works (WTW) and a90-megalitre (about 24-million gallon)clearwater storage tank; plus laying a total of 15kilometres (approximately 9.3 miles) of 1,200-millimetre- (about four-foot-) diameter supply pipes.

Minimizing the environmental impact iscentral to the project. The ability to use gravity,

rather than energy-hungry pumps, to driveows from the WTW to Scottish Water’scustomers dictated the choice of site. Anadditional environmental bene t of the gravity

ow is the ability to generate 25 percent of thesite’s electricity by installing a turbine toharness the water’s kinetic energy.

“(It’s) not only an exemplar project in terms of critical infrastructure, but also in terms of sustainable development and carbonreduction,” said Professor Paul Jowett,Chairman of the UK’s Institution of CivilEngineers (ICE).

‘Zero Visual Impact’

The preferred location, in the Pentland Hillssouthwest of the city, was not withoutchallenges. Thousands of people visit the hillseach year. To make sure visitors’ enjoyment of the area was not diminished, the WTW needed minimal visual impact. The solution was toconstruct signi cant portions of the major structures below ground level, to a depth of upto 12 metres (about 40 feet) in places.

To further conceal the works, the treatment building will have a grass roof. Excavated soilwill be used to landscape the structures.

“The whole idea is zero visual impact,”according to John Marshall, Contract Manager with Black & Veatch, “And, the green roof willlimit surface water runoff and, thus, the need for offsite drainage.”

A design review contributed to the zero visualimpact, as well as to cutting cost and reducingenvironmental impact. Revising the designmeant eight rather than 10 lters were required.This revision, combined with switching fromthe original choice of treatment system to acountercurrent dissolved air otation and

ltration plant, achieved a 40 percent reductionin treatment building size.

“Sustainability issues are such a large part of our business, and it’s great to have the opportunity to bring some of these attributes in,” commented Gavin Gibson, Black & Veatch’s DesignManager for the project. “It starts with buildingless and working smarter; that’s how we can

promote sustainability. We are continually

A bird’s-eye view reveals a massive projectamong the hills near Edinburgh. But a serieso steps taken in design and construction arereducing the project’s environmental impactand raising its sustainable profle.

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looking to see what we can come up with toimprove the design.”

Sustainability Signi cantlyCuts Construction Time

In construction, as well as design, the projectincludes innovative measures to reducecarbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions. One of themost signi cant steps was to manufacture

pipes onsite.

The pipes in question are twin, 1,200 mm high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipelines thatwill use gravity to convey treated water 7.5kilometres (approximately 4.7 miles) toEdinburgh before it enters the water supply.The HDPE pipes have been manufactured in amobile production facility adjacent to theconstruction site rather than being imported from supplier KWH’s Scandinavian factory.This approach is thought to be the rst timeHDPE pellets have been brought to a site tomanufacture large-diameter pipes, in

preference to bringing in the nished pipes.

Because the pipes are never transported morethan a few kilometres, they can be produced in22-metre (about 72-foot) sections. If they were

being brought in by road, pipe lengths would be restricted to 13 metres (approximately 43feet). Producing longer pipe sections onsitehas saved an estimated 1,500 tonnes of CO 2 emissions that would have been generated had shorter pipes been imported from Scandinavia.

Producing pipes onsite has also saved time and cost. The construction team has much greater control over pipe availability than they would have if they were relying on long-distanceimports. As a result, standing time for expensive pipe-laying plant is minimised.

The ability to use longer pipes cuts the number of sections required to complete the run, whichmeans about 350 fewer welds. This makesinstallation simpler, quicker and cheaper. Theteam believes 16 weeks have been shaved off the pipeline-laying schedule.

The local production facility also lessens healthand safety hazards. The amount of handling isreduced because the requirement to of oad from

road vehicles is much lower. Furthermore, a pipegrab machine and trailer have been designed speci cally for this project to transport the pipesfrom the production facility to the point of use tofurther reduce handling risks.

The last word on the signi cance of what has been achieved at Glencorse belongs to ScottishWater. According to Gus Watt, the water company’s Delivery Manager for SpecialProjects, “Ultimately we want to deliver a good

project and invest wisely by building less and creating less waste. For Scottish Water, this is asite that can really demonstrate the realcapabilities of Scottish Water and Black &Veatch to deliver a large and complex projectthat is driven by a high-value culture. The goalis to be an exemplar project – to show that youdon’t have to pay a premium to get the best.”

CONTACT Mike Barcroft+44 (0) 1324 671462

2010 Solutions 17

High-density polyethylene pipes or waterconveyance are manu actured onsite instead obeing shipped rom Scandinavia. This approachas saved an estimated 1,500 tonnes o CO2 emissions in transportation.

“The whole idea is zerovisual impact, and thegreen roof will limitsurface water runoff and, thus, the need for offsite drainage.”

– John Marshall, Black & Veatch

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Editor’s note: The following analysis is excerpted from “The Foothills of Economic Recovery, ” areport written by Stephen A. Stolze of Black &Veatch’s Management Consulting Division. Theauthor based his analysis on the early release of the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s

Annual Energy Outlook for 2010 and the resultsof the 2010 Black & Veatch Strategic Directions

survey. Black & Veatch offers its own 25-year forward forecast service, Energy Market

Perspective, and information on that can beaccessed online at bv.com/energymarketperspective.

By Stephen A. Stolze

Current trends in economics and power generation indicate that the energy supply mixof the future must be wisely structured to makeuse of all global resources – from renewablesto natural gas to clean coal to nuclear.

Utilities have no realistic choice other than todepend on coal and other fossil fuels for theforeseeable future, even as various nations

push forward with utilization of lower carbonenergy sources.

Much time and monetary investment will be

needed to deploy technologies that make theuse of these abundant fossil fuels environmen-tally sustainable, through greatly reduced greenhouse gas emissions, as well as beingcommercially viable.

Still, coal is forecast to continue as thedominant fuel for electricity generation – evenafter taking concerns about carbon regulationand renewable energy incentives into account.Even though natural gas increases its share of the generation fuel mix, existing coal plantswill be used more intensively, and new coal

plants currently under construction will enter the market to account for a part of this increasein coal use.

Fossil fuel’s share of energy consumption isforecast to fall from 84 percent of total U.S.energy demand in 2008 to 78 percent in 2035

– just six percentage points over a 25-year span. This information is based on the U.S.Energy Information Administration’s AnnualEnergy Outlook for 2010 (AEO2010).

Decisions on carbon emissions legislation – when it eventually occurs – will have a lasting

From greater e fciency to ongoing changes in the U.S. and globaleconomies, many actors will impact energy’s cost, production and use.

Energy:A 25-Year Outlook

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impact that will affect both global climatechange and the electrical consumers’

pocketbooks. The public debate and the actionit produces are vital to future energy development.

Forces Behind Renewables

For sure, renewable energy will play anincreasing role in the U.S. energy future. Theshare of generation coming from renewablefuels is expected to grow from 9 percent in2008 to 17 percent in 2035. The expansion of federal tax credits for renewable generationand capacity, as well as state RenewablePortfolio Standards (RPS) programs, are the

primary market drivers for this surge in theuse of renewable fuels, according to the

AEO2010 forecast.

Renewable energy is forecast to account for 41 percent of the growth in electricity generationfrom 2008 to 2035. Renewable energy con-sumption (non-hydroelectric), according to theAEO2010 report, increases sharply to about 10

percent of total energy demand by 2035.Biomass and wind represent the largest sourcesof renewable energy supply to meet growth.

Expansion of federal tax credits for renewablegeneration and capacity, as well as state RPS

programs are the primary market drivers for this surge in the use of renewable fuels. These

projections are consistent with what industry participants reported in the 2010 Black & Veatchindustry survey which identi ed nuclear, wind,solar and biomass as the places they would be

placing their emphasis.

Even with the rapid growth of renewable fuels,the price of oil will continue to rise graduallyas the global economy rebounds and demand grows. By 2035, AEO2010 forecasts theaverage price of crude oil to be $133 per barrelin 2008 dollars, or about $224 per barrel in

nominal dollars.

In the near term, natural gas prices will rise fromthe current low prices, which have been driven

by the combination of economic downturn and increased supply. Longer term prices continue aslow rise, moderated by additional resources

being brought into production in response togrowth in demand. The AEO2010 forecastsnatural gas wellhead prices will reach $8.06 per thousand cubic feet in 2008 dollars, or about$13.50 per thousand cubic feet in 2035. Naturalgas consumption is forecast to increase to 24.9trillion cubic feet by 2035.

Coal’s Future in the Lead

Coal remains the leading energy source for electricity generation because of continued

reliance on existing, modernized coal- red plants, the addition of some new plants and coal generation’s low cost as compared withalternatives, although carbon legislation would aim to minimize coal’s price advantage.

Despite a pullback in newly announced projects in recent years, 24 gigawatts of newcoal- red generating capacity are forecast to beadded by 2035. Total coal- red generatingcapacity will grow to 337 gigawatts in 2035,according to the AEO2010 report.

In addition, coal to liquids production is projected to increase. In the AEO2010, total consumptionincreases from the 2008 amount of 1,122million short tons to 1,319 million short tons in2035. Average real mine-mouth coal prices fallslightly from $31.26 per short ton in 2008dollars to $28.10 per short ton in 2008 dollars,or about $47.21 in nominal dollars in 2035.

Should carbon legislation become law, thencarbon sequestration or carbon capture will add to the cost of coal power. This increase should make nuclear power more viable, and gas could also support itself at a higher price.

AEO2010 forecasts assume that no existingnuclear plants will retire through 2035, and that owners will apply for, and will begranted, new 20-year license extensions

beyond the current 40-year period.Furthermore, the AEO2010 forecast calls for the addition of 8.4 gigawatts of new nuclear generation capacity, plus 4 gigawatts fromupgrades on existing nuclear plants, reachinga total of 112.9 gigawatts in 2035.

The Recession’s Impacton Revenues

The economic events of late 2008 and 2009 have resulted in considerable demand destruction that will take several years torecover. Total demand reduction has ranged from 3 percent to 6 percent.

Given that the AEO2010 predicts electricityconsumption will increase at an average annualrate of 1 percent from 2008 to 2035, and absentrate increases, it could be three to six years

before revenues return to pre-recession levels.

Predictions for 2010

Although the crux of “The Foothills of Economic Recovery” takes the long, 25-year view of global energy issues, author StephenA. Stolze of Black & Veatch ManagementConsulting Division also offered thefollowing energy-related predictions for theremainder of 2010:

Economic RecoveryWe are in this one for the long haul. Rather thana recession, we should be calling this a “globalconsumer deleveraging.” The economic declinehas stabilized, but recovery can’t begin in earnestuntil individual consumers reduce their personaldebt. Tax increases will make this deleveragingmore dif cult.

Climate Change LegislationClimate change legislation is not likely to occur in 2010. EPA carbon regulations might occur

but will be limited in scope and effect. Thedebate over the accuracy of data supporting thecase for global warming, coupled with the

economic impacts of limiting carbonemissions, will have a dampening effect on themomentum for change.

InvestmentRenewable energy investment themes willcontinue to have a high pro le as they did in2009. These trends will slow once the true costand reliability impacts of interruptibleresources are coupled with cost and technicalviability of large-scale electricity storage.

CONTACT Stephen A. Stolze631-348-4090 x204

Black & Veatch’s annual “StrategicDirection in the Electric Utility Industry”survey results are available for no chargeonline at bv.com/electricindustrysurvey or in a free booklet available on request from:[email protected].

Black & Veatch offers its own 25-year forward view of likely energy marketsthrough its Energy Market Perspectiveservice. Clients can learn more by visiting

bv.com/energymarketperspective.

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Teamwork, expertise and listening to a clients’needs stand at the heart of successfullycompleted projects.

For Black & Veatch, these traits apply to thecompany itself as well as the subcontractors it

works with. Black & Veatch carefully selectsits subcontractors and works closely with themto bring out their best efforts.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) lauded Black & Veatch for its work with specialtysubcontractors in EPA’s Region 4, an eight-state area in the southeastern United States.The EPA awarded Black & Veatch the “EPAAdministrator’s Award for OutstandingAccomplishments by a Prime Contractor”for Fiscal Year 2008.

Black & Veatch earned the national honor for “consistently committing to using small

business rms,” noted Kimberly Patrick,

Deputy Director of the EPA’s Of ce of Small Business Programs in a letter toHarvey Coppage, Black & Veatch ResponseAction Contract (RAC) Program Manager.Black & Veatch and its small business

contractors have worked on more than 50 sitesfor EPA Region 4 during the past 10 years.

“It’s a perfect situation because small businesses have an opportunity to work on bigfederal projects and build relationships withlarge contractors and government of cials,”said Joe Slykerman, Contracts Administrator for Black & Veatch’s Federal Services Division.“And Black & Veatch partners with companiesthat bring the special expertise and equipmentnecessary to complete projects.”

Black & Veatch’scommitment toworking with specialtysubcontractors drawsgovernment praise.

AchievingBIG RES LTSwith Small Businesses

Black & Veatch works closelyand meets requently with itssubcontractors on EPA Response

Action Contracts. Such close workingrelationships build trust and awillingness to listen to others’ ideas,said a subcontractor o Black & Veatch

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Achieving Major Savings

Whenever Black & Veatch works with the U.S.government – in this case, the EPA on RAC

projects – the company closely adheres tofederal laws that offer opportunities for alltypes of businesses to excel. Over the years,Black & Veatch has developed strongrelationships with various subcontractors thathelp meet this important operational element.

One such subcontractor is Garrett Consulting,Inc. (GCI), a Native American-owned reme-diation rm. GCI has handled the site prepand soil solidi cation/stabilization (S/S) onBlack & Veatch projects such as the Brunswick Wood Preserving Superfund site in Brunswick, Ga.

The rm proved to be an invaluable partner.

“Because of their expertise and extensive eld experience, GCI successfully treated more than140,000 tons of heavily contaminated soil/sediment without a single batch failure,” said Ed Hicks, Black & Veatch Project Manager.“GCI completed the Solidi cation/Stabilization(S/S) portion of the project three monthsahead of schedule, and signi cantly under the engineer’s estimate. These savings were

passed on to our client, who returned it toBlack & Veatch in the form of additionalconstruction and professional services.”

Besides saving money, GCI’s recommendationscontributed to “sustainable remediation.” GCIutilized contaminated site surface waters and stormwater in the S/S process; performed onsite concrete debris crushing, whichfacilitated bene cial reuse of the crushed material onsite as opposed to offsite disposal;and when more gravel was needed, proposed substitution of recycled concrete from thenearby interstate reconstruction for thespeci ed quarry rock.

Bob Garrett, GCI president, views Black &Veatch as a partner.

“We’re a team working toward achieving the best results for the client,” Garrett said.

Gaining National Exposure

As President of Atlas Geo-Sampling Company,a small drilling rm, Jim Fineis knows how tomake due with limited resources.

“We don’t skimp on quality,” he said. “Butwe’re always looking for more affordable waysto do a project.”

This entrepreneurial attitude has helped Fineisland contract work from Black & Veatch for four years. He’s developed strong relationshipswith numerous project managers who routinely

seek his input to solve problems and recommend equipment.

“Black & Veatch trusts subcontractors asexperts in their elds,” Fineis said. “It’s atestament to the corporate culture thateveryone — from eld techs to senior projectmanagers — is willing to listen to our ideas.Other large contractors aren’t nearly as receptive.”

Both Garrett and Fineis credit Black & Veatch’sin-house expertise in helping their small

businesses land government contracts. Neither have the legal, marketing or administrativeresources to navigate the government hierarchyand complete the required documentation.

But perhaps the biggest advantage of teamingwith Black & Veatch on high-pro le RAC

projects is the national exposure their small businesses receive. “Word gets out that you’re working on aSuperfund site, and you gain a little morecredibility,” said Fineis. “You get a chance to

prove that a small rm can handle a big project.It just opens the door for more businessopportunities.”

Black & Veatch Enjoys Enduring Partnership with EPA

Black & Veatch continues its e orts o cleaning up contaminated land in the United States.

Last year, the company earned its third, 10-year Response Action Contract (RAC) rom theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region 4, a territory that encompasses eight

southeastern states. For more than 20 years, Black & Veatch has been a partner with EPARegion 4, and the company is currently working on about 100 projects in the area.

The largest o these projects all under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), more commonly known as Super und projects, given their immense size. Recent Super und projects involving Black & Veatch include the Escambiaproject in Pensacola, Fla., and the Brunswick Wood Preserving site in Brunswick, Ga.

Super und projects are not new to Black & Veatch. The company is one o three original EPASuper und contractors and has built a substantial repertoire o solutions or these complex sites.

To learn more about Black & Veatch’s remediation work, please visit www.bv.com.

2010 Solutions 21

CONTACT Harvey Coppage770-521-8129

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The sunny and arid climate of the “ArizonaValley of the Sun” has attracted people to theinviting and livable communities of theSouthwest at record rates. This rapid in ux of newcomers challenges the local governmentutilities that must satisfy an ever-increasingdemand for safe drinking water in the desert.

Faced with continuous growth and the resulting pressure on water resources, two neighboringcommunities – the town of Gilbert and the

city of Chandler – realized 10 years ago thatthey needed an additional source of potablewater supply. Use of treated water from theCentral Arizona Project (CAP) was the mostsustainable solution, but construction of a newtreatment facility would be nancially dif cultwhen Gilbert and Chandler were alreadystretching their dollars to maintain criticalservices.

This economic roadblock may have detoured cities with less perseverance and creativity,

but Gilbert and Chandler formed a partner-ship and forged ahead. The municipalities

pooled resources and collaborated to evaluatewater treatment technologies and deliverymethods – and ultimately to design, construct and operate the Santan Vista Water Treatment Plant.

The project recently was named “Public WorksProject of the Year in the Environment” (morethan $75 million) category by the Arizona Chapter of the American Public Works Association.

Black & Veatch provided study, planning,design, construction support and startupservices for the new facility, which brings

sustainable and reliable water treatment to100,000 people in the two communities thatare served by the plant.

Arizona CitiesCollaborate on a

22 Solutions 2010

TOP: The highly e fcient Santan Vista WaterTreatment Plant fts its surroundings per ectlyand provides potable water to the town oGilbert and the city o Chandler, both rapidlygrowing suburbs o Phoenix, Arizona.

BOTTOM: This gravity thickener representsone part o the treatment plant, which earned the “Public Works Project o the Year in theEnvironment” by the Arizona chapter o theAmerican Public Works Association.

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How It Worked

In partnership, Gilbert and Chandler engaged Black & Veatch to perform initial studies,select treatment technologies and establish the

basis of design for the joint 24-million-gallon- per-day (mgd) facility, which was designed toultimately be doubled in size. During detailed design, the owners selected a construction-manager-at-risk contractor and a separateconstruction manager to join the Black & Veatch

design team and their contracted programmanager.

“Gilbert and Chandler showed exemplaryforesight by partnering to achieve what would have been more dif cult and much moreexpensive to do alone,” said Dan Meyer,Black & Veatch Project Manager. “Theyassembled a top-notch team of professionalsthat pulled together to deliver success.”

Wendy Chambers, Utility Operations Manager for the city of Chandler, agrees.

“All of the partners – Gilbert, Chandler,Black & Veatch and the companies that

provided program management and construction services – worked hand in hand through each step of the design and construction process,” Chambers said.“Exceptional teamwork and communicationcontributed to a smooth project and enabled the team to deliver an excellent plant.”

All property, treatment facilities and infrastructure to convey raw and nished water are jointly owned. The municipalitiesequally shared the costs, and each is entitled to half of the treatment capacity. The plant isoperated by Gilbert employees, and a jointcommittee was formed to oversee operationsand management issues.

How Well It Works

Water from the CAP is a sustainable source of supply because it comes from snowmelt. Byadding this renewable supply, Gilbert and Chandler have helped reduce groundwater

dependence in the area. Securing this redundantresource and treating it to the highest standardshas improved the quality of life for arearesidents by providing healthy, aesthetically

pleasing water and reliability for the future.

The facility features advanced technologiesincluding high-rate ballasted occulation,ozonation and an onsite sodium hypochloritegeneration system that allows for chlorination

but eliminates the need for storage and use of

gaseous chlorine. The plant also exempli esenvironmental stewardship through arecycling feature: water is recovered from theresiduals separated during the treatment

process and is recycled. Only 1 percent of thewater is lost to evaporation.

“The facility is quiet, safe, blends well into thecommunity and, most importantly, provides our residents with a vital, renewable water resource,” said Kurt McDavid, Water TreatmentPlant Supervisor for the town of Gilbert. “Ituses a combination of cutting-edge and traditional technologies to reliably meet our mutual goals, including stringent requirementsfor safe drinking water.”

Gilbert and Chandler saved an estimated $22million in capital investment by building one$88 million facility instead of two. Furthermore,they will annually save approximately $600,000

by sharing the plant operational costs of staff,chemicals and electricity.

According to Teresa Smith-DeHesus,Black & Veatch Engineering Manager, the

project not only saved the communities money

but also was a dream to work on in all respects.

“A partnering approach ensured that the jointowners were an integral part of the decision-making process, which is just one of thereasons the plant commissioning ran so

smoothly,” she said. “Not only did the twocities work seamlessly to implement the

project, but the companies that provided technical and construction assistance alsoquickly and effectively formed a strong,cohesive team.”

Recently retired Gilbert Water SuperintendentBill Taylor described completion of the SantanVista Water Treatment Plant as the “crown

jewel” of his career with Gilbert and his proudest accomplishment. The project alsoearned Gilbert and Chandler recognition asCrown Communities.

According to an article published in theDecember 2009 issue of American City &County , the magazine that sponsors the annualexcellence awards, Crown Communities

projects “exhibit the creativity, cooperation and communication that are even more essential toef cient local government operations inchallenging economic times.” The winners aredescribed as communities that broke newground to nd solutions despite tough times.

Crowning Achievement

2010 Solutions 23

TOP: One o the plant’s ozone generators humsalong at the water treatment plant. One localleader said, “The acility is quiet, sa e andblends well into the community.”

BOTTOM: Blocks o sludge orm thousands osmall islands in the acility’s drying beds.

CONTACT Dan Meyer 602-381-4417

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