Orem’s wastewater treatment plant encompasses 37 acres of land, yet there’s only one worker here.
Field supervisor Jayce Bahr led the way through the industrial, gray buildings in a hoodie and work jeans, giving a detailed description of the cleaning process at each stop.
“The place pretty much runs itself, and we're just here for all of the lab analysis and just to kind of babysit it.”
Even though cleaning wastewater is meticulous, there are systems in place that transform raw sewage into large quantities of recycled water every day.
This project has been in the works for nearly two decades. Now that it’s complete, the city of Orem said it will save 175 million gallons of drinking water each year, which amounts to the annual water use of roughly 1,600 homes.
These savings are coming at an important time. All of Utah is in drought after a record-low snowpack this winter, and conserving water has become a top priority for Utah officials. Both Gov. Spencer Cox and Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall have emphasized that conservation is going to be crucial for what’s projected to be a hot, dry summer.
The plant saves drinking water by sending out recycled water for irrigation at two local recreation spots: Lakeside Sports Park, a multi-field athletic complex, and The Links at Sleepy Ridge golf course.
“Hearing that something's irrigated with recycled sewer water is sort of an ick factor for people,” Bahr said. “And until you come in and see the process and actually get to see the clarity of the water and understand sort of what goes into it, it's hard for people to wrap their heads around,”
The quality it reaches at the end of the cleaning process is non-potable, meaning it’s not safe to drink, but it’s the right quality for irrigation. Orem Public Utilities Director Reed Price said water coming from the plant is cleaner than anyone might expect.
“Our reuse water is better than most communities that have secondary water and just treat from or and just use water straight from the river,” Price said. “The river water is certainly very clear, but it hasn't been treated like ours has.”
Creating recycled water requires three steps. The first involves removing large solids and sludge from the raw sewage. After that’s done, microorganisms break down whatever’s left. Finally, disinfection. Then the water is sent out into the world.
Steve Marett, the head golf pro at Sleepy Ridge, said the golf course had tried to get on reusable water for several years – “pre-2020” as he described it. So far, he hasn’t noticed a difference in the turf’s quality since switching over, and said the company is happy because it helps the community and the environment.
“We just know that we haven't seen any issue whatsoever since we've changed,” Marett said. “And I'd say the golf course looks better than ever.”
There are two ways water leaves the treatment plant: with phosphorus or without. For irrigation, Price said they leave phosphorus in because it’s a natural fertilizer that keeps the grass green. The treatment plant also sends recycled water to Utah Lake. Unlike irrigation water, Price said it’s imperative that they remove phosphorus from this water.
“When you put it [phosphorus] into a water body, it can cause algae blooms, whether it's harmful algal blooms or just regular algae blooms, which aren't harmful.”
Phosphorus levels at Utah Lake are already high, so it’s removed from the recycled water to reduce harmful algal blooms, which produce toxins.
“Those toxins can be harmful to, in particular, animals; they seem to be more susceptible,” Price said. “They are also harmful to humans if consumed.”
The plant is focused on providing irrigation water for its existing customers and the lake. It does have the capacity to expand and double its output. But, Price said, it’s too expensive right now to build new pipelines.
For now, the focus remains on quality over quantity.
