This Progressive Design-Build (PDB) project focuses on the rehabilitation of the existing 41-million-gallons-per-day (MGD) water treatment plant in Miami, Florida. The City’s primary objective is to modernize and upgrade the facility to improve efficiency, reduce operational costs, and enhance water quality. Key elements of the project include a new 5-MG storage tank and storage building and pump installation into the existing pump station. Rehabilitation includes a high-service pump station and warehouse building as well as plant-wide upgrades to the electrical, instrumentation, control, and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems.

The project commenced in April 2022, with substantial completion of design after a year and a half of collaboration between the owner, PCL, and the design engineer. Construction began with the demolition of utilities and the completion of the first five-million-gallon storage tank. 

Prior to the start of the project, the team presented an innovative pellet softening system to replace the lime softening treatment process. After a visit to a similar facility in Colorado running the new system, the City of North Miami Beach moved forward with the new solution. The successful implementation of this new technology will save the plant $500,000 per year in operational costs and also establish it as the first facility in Florida to adopt this advanced solution. The enhanced pellet softening system overcomes the resource-intensive and environmentally burdensome aspects of traditional lime softening and introduces a range of transformative advantages.

The advantages of the pellet softening system extend beyond water quality improvements. With reduced waste generation and a smaller physical footprint, the system is more environmentally friendly and economically sustainable. The pellets themselves offer a second use, as they can be reused for other applications such as concrete or pipe bedding materials. Additional benefits of the system include a reduction in pH levels due to the filtration process, requiring less chemicals to balance typical pH levels within a lime system.

The project showcases the commitment to innovation and sustainable practices, setting a precedent for future water treatment plant upgrades and developments.