Background

The city of Brawley owns and operates the water treatment plant and distribution system, as well as the wastewater treatment plant and collection system. Established more than 65 years ago, both systems are operated as an enterprise fund in which the cost of providing water and sewage services is funded primarily through flat rate user fees. The city
recently constructed a new water treatment plant with a design capacity of 15 mgd, which can be expanded in the future to 30 mgd.

The current project will address the following problems:

• Corrosion/tuberculation of cast iron pipes has caused a significant
  decrease in pipe capacity, which creates excessive pressure losses
  and reduces the utility’s ability to deliver water in the city, thus
  interrupting water service.
• Approximately half of the wastewater system is a combined
  sanitary and storm sewer system. Storm flows of 8 to 12 mgd
  periodically overwhelm the hydraulic processing capacity of the
  wastewater treatment plant (3.9 mgd).

Description

To upgrade and expand the wastewater treatment plant, as well as to
improve the water distribution and wastewater collection systems. The
project consists of:

• Installing larger diameter pipes and replacing cast iron pipes with
  polyvinyl chloride pipes in the water distribution system.
• Increase wastewater treatment capacity from 4 to 6 mgd.
• Replace 21 wastewater collection lines in congested areas of the
  city

Benefits

This project will increase water pressure and reduce malfunctions and maintenance requirements. Secondary treatment prior to discharge of overflows during the rainy season will reduce the likelihood of untreated discharges into the New River, and diminish the risk of infectious diseases associated with raw sewage.