San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant: A Key Component of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project

The San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant (SJLWTP) is one of the most significant components of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. Jacobs is responsible for the design, construction, startup, testing, commissioning, and short-term operation of a new 18.8 million gallons per day (MGD) treatment plant (Phase 1). The facility is designed with the capacity to expand to 45 MGD (Phase 2) to meet future water demands.

The treatment process is engineered to remove inorganic, organic, and microbiological contaminants in compliance with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, for protection of public health. Water will be conveyed from the San Juan River to the Frank Chee Willetto Reservoir and then pumped to the SJLWTP for treatment. The process includes clarification using plate settlers, filtration, granular activated carbon (GAC) contactors, and final disinfection. This multi-step treatment approach removes fine particles and microorganisms before the water is disinfected and distributed to receiving communities. This treatment scheme matches the treatment approach of the Cutter Lateral WTP that was placed into operation in October 2020.

The new facility includes an administration building with offices and a laboratory, a water treatment facility, a maintenance and chemical handling building, a GAC/air chamber (surge) facility, a backwash wastewater equalization tank, and solids drying ponds. The schematic below illustrates the overall treatment process.

Future articles will provide additional details on the treatment process and ongoing construction activities.