Cater Water Treatment Plant Advanced Treatment Project

 

Originally constructed in 1964, the Cater WTP is the oldest treatment plant within the Santa Barbara water system. Over the past 55 years, drinking water regulations have become more stringent, original plant equipment has become obsolete and water treatment technology has advanced. To continue to provide reliable treated water that meets increasingly stringent regulatory requirements, the plant chose to add Ozone Treatment, a process that further improves drinking water quality while reducing chemical treatment. To add ozone treatment, Cushman constructed a two story, cast-in-place concrete ozone contact chamber, a CMU building to house ozone generation and electrical equipment, and a liquid oxygen storage facility.  In addition, the project included a new CMU solids dewatering building, two circular cast-in-place concrete sludge thickeners, a CO2 storage tank and structure, underground yard piping, modifications to the existing Clearwell Reservoir, new vertical turbine distribution pumps, improvements to the existing chemical feed system, grading, paving, site concrete, landscaping and irrigation.  All work was done without interruption to the plant which had to remain in continuous operation.  Together with the filter improvement work that Cushman previously performed at the Cater WTP in 2004, the Advanced Treatment Project will allow the City of Santa Barbara to continue to provide safe, reliable drinking water for many years to come.