A mix of creative problem solving, careful planning and lean management were key in delivering Denver’s newest drinking water treatment plant on time, under budget and without lost time safety incidents, said its project team.

As the team grew to include eight prime design firms, meetings in “big rooms” kept challenges small, according to the submission, as stakeholders were able to distill and streamline solutions, improve issue resolution and cut times for submittals and requests for information, which also drove staff accountability. This approach also improved the team’s ability to act quickly in times of emergency.

Working “families” were created at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to minimize outbreak effects, and a decision tracker helped maintain institutional knowledge and project schedule as the workforce shifted throughout design and construction.

Located on a 183-acre site next to the Ralston Reservoir northwest of Golden, Colo., the state-of-the-art facility can treat 75 million gallons of water per day. To minimize visual impact, several of its component structures were constructed into the area’s hillside, which also reduced the energy load required for cooling and heating, according to the project team.

Using hydroelectric turbines, the plant leverages influent pressure to generate power and will annually become a net energy producer. When it opens, the plant will connect to the electrical grid, but the team says future modifications will enable off-grid capacity using battery storage if feasible and necessary.