The first phase of a project to double the Apache Junction water district’s 2-million-gallons-a-day capacity has been approved with a $2.3 million agreement for administration and inspection services.
“This is for our Superstition Area Water Plant. We’re going to be expanding that from 2 MGD to 4 MGD. So with that we are going to be installing some raw-water impounds, raw-water pumps, strainers, a new filter, several things that come as part of that,” Water District Director Michael Loggins said at the Nov. 15 meeting of the water utilities community facilities district board.
The district board — comprised of Apache Junction City Council members — voted 6-0 on Nov. 15 to approve an agreement with Carollo Engineers Inc. for phase 1 Superstition Area Water Plant expansion from 2-million gallons a day to 4-million gallons per day capacity construction administration and inspection services for a total not to exceed $2,311,271. Vice Chair Christa Rizzi was absent.
Superstition Vistas Development has entered into an agreement with Garney Construction to expand the existing water plant, Loggins said in a memo to the water district board.
“Carollo Engineers Inc. designed phase one of the expansion and the ultimate buildout of 10-million gallons per day water plant. This (professional services agreement) will allow Carollo Engineers, Inc. to do the construction administration and inspection services at a cost of $2,311,271,” he said.
Construction is to take 15 months at the Superstition Area Water Plant on South Ironwood Drive near the Central Arizona Project canal, according to the professional services agreement.
Water district
The Apache Junction water district supplies well water (groundwater) pumped from the Eastern Salt River Sub-Basin Aquifer which flows southwesterly under Apache Junction and its surrounding areas. The groundwater is treated for arsenic removal where necessary, disinfected with chlorine, pumped into storage tanks and blended with Colorado River (surface) water.
The surface water is transported through the Central Arizona Project canal system and filtered and purified at the Superstition Area Water Plant before being introduced into the distribution system.
The water district can also receive treated CAP water from the city of Mesa through an interconnect for a backup supply of water, if needed.
Richard Dyer Managing Editor | East Valley @RHDyer
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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