{"id":423,"date":"2025-01-16T14:50:33","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T15:50:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/howtooahu.com\/?p=423"},"modified":"2025-01-27T13:12:34","modified_gmt":"2025-01-27T13:12:34","slug":"sarasotas-bee-ridge-water-reclamation-facility-earns-envision-gold-for-sustainable-infrastructure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/howtooahu.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/16\/sarasotas-bee-ridge-water-reclamation-facility-earns-envision-gold-for-sustainable-infrastructure\/","title":{"rendered":"Sarasota\u2019s Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facility earns Envision\u00ae Gold for sustainable infrastructure"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Rendering of the Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facility,\u00a0Sarasota County, Florida<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em>Innovative\u00a0plant\u00a0expansion\u00a0to\u00a0deliver\u00a0enhanced\u00a0environmental protection and\u00a0resilience via advanced treatment technology<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u200bSARASOTA COUNTY, FL \u2013 The Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facility (BRWRF) Expansion and Conversion to Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) Project in Sarasota County, Florida, has earned an <a href=\"https:\/\/checkpoint.url-protection.com\/v1\/url?o=https%3A\/\/sustainableinfrastructure.org\/envision\/about\/&amp;g=YzUyZjcyZmVkNmU4ZjUzNQ==&amp;h=ODg2ZjBjZmY2NGRjNzAyYmNhMGZkYzFjZDMxNGY3OGFlZTQ0ZTAxMmIwYWJlNWE5ZjYxMDFiMmJkYTdhMGUzNg==&amp;p=YzJ1Omdhcm5leWNvbnN0cnVjdGlvbjpjOm86ZGJmNjIzMzA5MWNhMjdkOTNiMTA4MzdmNmExMGY3ZTU6djE6cDpG\">Envision Gold award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI)<\/a>. This recognition underscores the\u00a0County\u2019s\u00a0commitment to sustainability and its positive impact on the\u00a0growing\u00a0Sarasota community.<\/p>\n<p>The Envision framework provides a comprehensive set of criteria for assessing infrastructure sustainability.\u00a0The project earned\u00a0gold recognition for excellence in several key areas:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Environmental\u00a0stewardship:\u00a0Rehabilitation of on-site wetlands and reduction\u00a0of\u00a0nutrientdischarges to protect\u00a0local water bodies and ecosystems.<\/li>\n<li>Climate\u00a0resilience: Design features to withstand sea-level rise and increased storm intensity.<\/li>\n<li>Resource\u00a0efficiency: Implementation of\u00a0robust\u00a0water reuse systems\u00a0and beneficial use of construction waste.<\/li>\n<li>Community\u00a0benefits:\u00a0Continuous community engagement and greater\u00a0availability of reclaimed water to support population\u00a0growth\u00a0and economic development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0140-acre BRWRF, originally constructed in the 1990s, is being transformed\u00a0into a state-of-the-art water reclamation facility. The project will increase treatment capacity by 50% \u2013 from 12 to 18 million gallons per day\u00a0based on maximum monthly\u00a0flows\u00a0\u2013 while implementing advanced wastewater treatment technologies, including biological nutrient removal basins and Florida\u2019s largest membrane bioreactor\u00a0system. These upgrades will significantly reduce nitrogen and phosphorus discharges \u2013\u00a0two pollutants\u00a0that can\u00a0contribute\u00a0to\u00a0algae growth in waterways\u00a0\u2013\u00a0and produce\u00a0high-quality water to\u00a0reduce\u00a0groundwater withdrawal\u00a0impacts.<\/p>\n<p>The project\u2019s\u00a0highly technical\u00a0scope required innovative approaches to engineering\u00a0design\u00a0and financing. To minimize the financial impact on its customers, Sarasota County successfully acquired a $105M\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/checkpoint.url-protection.com\/v1\/url?o=https%3A\/\/www.epa.gov\/wifia&amp;g=ZmI2YjM2ZTQ0MjhhZWQzYQ==&amp;h=ZDY0ODU3M2JhMmRmYWFmMjVlMmZjMGU1MWMxYTdiYzNkYzJkYmZjNmZmOWE0ZTA2NWIxYmJmMDQ2ZDI4N2M0Mg==&amp;p=YzJ1Omdhcm5leWNvbnN0cnVjdGlvbjpjOm86ZGJmNjIzMzA5MWNhMjdkOTNiMTA4MzdmNmExMGY3ZTU6djE6cDpG\">Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act<\/a>\u00a0low-interest\u00a0loan. This federal funding support helps\u00a0utilities deliver\u00a0critical infrastructure improvements while maintaining affordable utility rates.<\/p>\n<p>The project also incorporates comprehensive resilience features to protect against extreme weather events\u00a0while\u00a0maintaining\u00a0operational continuity. These include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Enhanced flood protection through additional stormwater basins and elevated facilities one foot above the 100-year flood elevation.<\/li>\n<li>Hurricane-resistant construction designed to withstand Category\u00a05\u00a0sustained winds.<\/li>\n<li>Advanced SCADA network upgrades enable automated and remote operation.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Integrated\u00a0real-time\u00a0monitoring systems with automated alarms for immediate operator response.<\/li>\n<li>Redundant power supplies with uninterrupted backup systems\u00a0for continuous operation during utility failures.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0project is a collaborative effort involving several key partners.\u00a0As the project owner, Sarasota County\u00a0has\u00a0driven\u00a0this\u00a0vital\u00a0infrastructure\u00a0upgrade. The County retained Carollo Engineers as the primary designer,\u00a0supporting Garney Construction\u00a0as the construction manager at risk.\u00a0This alternative project delivery structure was selected to expedite the schedule and meet the County\u2019s goal of planning, designing, and building the\u00a0enhanced facility by the end of 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Sarasota County Public Utilities\u00a0Assistant Utility Director Gregory Rouse\u00a0emphasized the significance of the award:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe prestigious Envision Gold award\u2014a first for a Florida wastewater treatment facility\u2014reflects the vision and leadership of Sarasota County\u2019s Board of Commissioners and the strong support of our community in prioritizing sustainable infrastructure. This recognition underscores the County\u2019s dedication to essential services and creating a lasting legacy for future generations. We are deeply proud of our commitment to environmental stewardship and extend our gratitude to the design and construction teams whose collaborative efforts made this achievement possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With improved effluent quality, the County can confidently comply with current and future regulations while gaining flexibility in\u00a0its water reuse options,\u00a0including\u00a0the sustainable use of reclaimed water for irrigation, local aquifer recharge, and\u00a0the potential for\u00a0future\u00a0indirect potable reuse.<\/p>\n<p>Carollo Project Manager Jody Barksdale commented,\u00a0\u201cSarasota County\u2019s achievement of the Envision Gold award highlights their pioneering approach to\u00a0sustainable infrastructure development. This\u00a0project\u00a0goes beyond expanding capacity; it\u00a0sets a new benchmark for sustainable water management\u00a0and environmental stewardship.\u00a0It exemplifies how innovative engineering and a commitment to sustainability can create a facility that\u00a0meets current demands and\u00a0paves the way for\u00a0a\u00a0resilient and adaptive water\u00a0future for\u00a0decades to come.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>More information on the project can be found\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/checkpoint.url-protection.com\/v1\/url?o=https%3A\/\/carollo.com\/solutions\/bee-ridge-water-reclamation-facility-expansion\/&amp;g=OWFjNjI0M2QxNDI2ZTA5Mw==&amp;h=MDA1Y2NlMmIzMjYxYTc1OGIwMjM2NzAwMzA3ZjY1ZmMyZGIxYTJhNWRmYjkxZTIyMjQ2MWJmMzhkMzBlNjY1Ng==&amp;p=YzJ1Omdhcm5leWNvbnN0cnVjdGlvbjpjOm86ZGJmNjIzMzA5MWNhMjdkOTNiMTA4MzdmNmExMGY3ZTU6djE6cDpG\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>About Carollo Engineers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For\u00a0over\u00a090 years, Carollo Engineers has provided a full range of innovative planning, design, and construction management services to\u00a0address\u00a0the water needs of municipalities, public agencies, private developers, and industrial\u00a0clients. Carollo develops robust water management strategies that leverage collaboration, provide multi-benefit solutions, and achieve sustainability and resilience. Carollo has nearly 1,400 employees located across\u00a0North America. To learn more about how Carollo is \u201cWorking Wonders With Water\u00ae\u201d call (800) 523-5826 or visit\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/checkpoint.url-protection.com\/v1\/url?o=http%3A\/\/www.carollo.com&amp;g=OTNhZjdlYWI2N2UxODRhZA==&amp;h=MGNlNzgxOTUxYTRmZjAwNWZlYjMzMzRiN2NmZWI1NDE0MGJhZDc2ZWQ0YmVkMGM3MGY3MDE1YmVjODUzNGYxZQ==&amp;p=YzJ1Omdhcm5leWNvbnN0cnVjdGlvbjpjOm86ZGJmNjIzMzA5MWNhMjdkOTNiMTA4MzdmNmExMGY3ZTU6djE6cDpG\">www.carollo.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>About Garney Construction\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/checkpoint.url-protection.com\/v1\/url?o=http%3A\/\/www.garney.com&amp;g=ZTI2YzBkNzY0ZjMyYTg5Ng==&amp;h=YjcyMDRhNzE4OGFlNTRlMjk0ZTBlMGMwM2Q1OWEzYjVmOWQ1MTViZWZmMTU4ZjZhNDI2NDY2YzlkNzFjNjM2NQ==&amp;p=YzJ1Omdhcm5leWNvbnN0cnVjdGlvbjpjOm86YjUyODVmODRmNTJkNDkzNWFmY2E5YmM4MzJjOTAxODc6djE6cDpU\">Garney<\/a>\u00a0specializes in the construction of water and wastewater pipelines, treatment facilities, pumping stations, water storage tanks, and industrial\/heavy civil projects. Garney was established in Kansas City in 1961 and has 18 regional offices. Garney is 100% employee owned with 2,500 current employee-owners.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/informedinfrastructure.com\/98654\/sarasotas-bee-ridge-water-reclamation-facility-earns-envision-gold-for-sustainable-infrastructure\/\">Sarasota\u2019s Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facility earns Envision\u00ae Gold for sustainable infrastructure<\/a> first appeared on <a href=\"https:\/\/informedinfrastructure.com\">Informed Infrastructure<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rendering of the Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facility,\u00a0Sarasota County, Florida \u00a0 Innovative\u00a0plant\u00a0expansion\u00a0to\u00a0deliver\u00a0enhanced\u00a0environmental protection and\u00a0resilience via advanced treatment technology \u200bSARASOTA COUNTY, FL \u2013 The Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facility (BRWRF) Expansion and Conversion to Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) Project in Sarasota County, Florida, has earned an Envision Gold award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI). [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/howtooahu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/423"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/howtooahu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/howtooahu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/howtooahu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/howtooahu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=423"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/howtooahu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/423\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":424,"href":"https:\/\/howtooahu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/423\/revisions\/424"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/howtooahu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=423"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/howtooahu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=423"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/howtooahu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=423"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}