The Sanitary District is embarking on a massive $9 million improvement and expansion project at its wastewater treatment plant that will take about 18 months to complete.

MGC Contractors is expected to start mobilizing this week and begin work at the plant, along Saguaro Blvd. at Pepperwood Drive.

The Sanitary District, a separate entity from the Town of Fountain Hills, has enough financial resources in its budget to pay for the project.

Much of the money is coming from monthly sewer user fees that have been banked, since connection and other growth-related revenues have dropped considerably for the district.

District Manager Ron Huber said the project is not connected in any way with the possible annexation of the Ellman property in northern Fountain Hills into the Sanitary District.

“This project has been in our master plan for years,” Huber added.

“Nothing is being done here to specifically accommodate the (former) state trust land.”

Huber and the five-man Board of Directors for the Sanitary District have stated many times that any costs associated with serving the Ellman property will have to be paid by the developer.

Huber described the current project as a “combination of growth, extension and replacement” at the sewage plant.

“It’s the first real project we’ve had at the plant that involves substantial replacement or extension of existing components,” Huber said.

The plant is currently rated to handle 2.6 million gallons of sewage per day, and when the project is done it will be rated for 2.9 million MGD.

That figure basically represents the capacity needed to accommodate the complete buildout of Fountain Hills – not counting the Ellman property.

Huber said the improvements will help modernize the plant, make it operate more efficiently and cut down on potential noises emanating from the site.

“After it’s done, our flows will remain roughly constant all day throughout the plant, making things easier to operate,” Huber said.

“And we will have less fluctuations in our effluent quality.”

Effluent is reclaimed wastewater or the liquid by-product remaining from the sewage treatment process.

Additional improvements are planned for the plant, but not until the year 2017.

Current sewer line work being done by T&T Construction on Saguaro Blvd. near Fountain Park is not directly related to the treatment plant project.

The 18-month plant project involves a new flow equalization basin, modifying the aeration system to the digesters, replacing other aeration equipment that is 18 years old and installing a more automated control system.

A third clarifier also will be built, piping modifications will be done, a storage warehouse will be built and sound deadening will be added to the operations.

All the work is being done on-site and essentially won’t be visible to the general public.

Sometime in July SRP will have to shut down power at the plant to replace some transformers, a 30-day project that will require the district to operate the plant with stand-by generators.

“That will probably increase the noise for the area, but the only good thing is that people will have their windows closed at that time of year,” Huber said.