Background
AWSD operates the water and wastewater systems in the city of Anthony and surrounding areas in Doña Ana County. While nearly three-quarters of the residents in Anthony have access to AWSD wastewater collection systems, conditions in unserved areas have prompted residents to request that the utility extend sewer service to their homes. Many older homes in the area were built on lots that do not meet current lot-size requirements for on-site septic systems. Moreover, most of these systems have reached the end of their useful life, and many have not been properly maintained, increasing their risk of failure. AWSD inspected conditions in the area and found that some residents were using cesspools, as well as surface pooling around some on-site septic systems, indicating that they were failing.
In response, AWSD developed a project to extend service to several residential areas, as well as make improvements to the primary pump station, known as the Super Sonic Lift Station, which conveys about 85% of the wastewater collected to the treatment plant. The layout of the new trunkline will also allow ASWD to remove three old lift stations from service, two of which would have required significant rehabilitation to remain in service.
Project Scope
The project consists of expanding the wastewater collection system to provide first-time access to residential areas along Lipps Road, and the side streets east of Anthony Drive and north of O’Hara Road, as well as implementing improvements in the primary lift station and decommission three old lift stations. The main project components include:
-
-
Main trunkline: Installation of 10,745 linear feet of 8-inch polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe, which will run along state highway NM460, Lipps Road, Venadito Road and O’Hara Road before discharging to the existing system south of O’Hara Road.
-
Lateral lines: Installation of 7,600 linear feet of 8-inch PVC pipeline to provide residential services on side streets east of NM460 from Santa Maria to Starlight Lane.
-
Service connections: 140 new service connections will be installed, and on-site systems will be decommissioned.
-
Interceptors: Installation of 2,300 linear feet of 8-inch PVC pipe from the O’Hara and Berino Lift Stations, and 650 linear feet linear feet of 12-inch PVC pipe from the Crossett Lift Station, allowing three lift stations to be decommissioned.
-
Lift station improvements: The Super Sonic Lift Station will be upgraded with a lift station screen, monorail and hoist, and an additional pump for redundancy.
Benefits
The project will provide first-time wastewater service to 140 new connections, improving the quality of life of area residents. Decommissioning failing on-site systems will protect the local aquifer by eliminating approximately 34,000 gallons per day of untreated or inadequately treated wastewater discharges. Improvements to the Super Sonic Lift Station will increase its reliability and optimize its operation, while eliminating three lift stations will reduce operation and maintenance requirements, along with the associated costs. The project has also prompted the City and County to convert the private roads in the new service areas to public right of ways, which will lead to better maintenance in the future.
