Construction Begins on New Luke 303 Regional Water Reclamation Facility

PHOENIX, ARIZONA--(Marketwired - Dec. 11, 2015) - Former U.S. Senator and Arizona water law expert Jon Kyl joined EPCOR Water USA and the City of Glendale today to mark the start of construction on a new 40-acre facility that will fuel new growth and development along the Loop 303 transportation corridor in Maricopa County.

The new Luke 303 Regional Water Reclamation Facility - located at the intersection of Camelback Road and Alsup Avenue between the Loop 303 transportation corridor and Luke Air Force Base (Luke AFB) - will serve more than 4,400 acres of new homes and businesses in Maricopa County in the western portion of the City of Glendale's municipal planning area. Developed in phases, the first phase of the project is expected to support up to 750 new homes when it comes online in early 2017.

The project has a strong sustainability component - when the project is fully built out, up to 8 million gallons of treated effluent will be recharged back into the ground each day, supporting Arizona's long-term water-resource management efforts and providing water for future generations.

"Arizona was one of the first states to recognize the value of reclaiming wastewater, and the state has stayed at the forefront of water reclamation. Today, some 90% of the treated effluent produced in Arizona is recycled or recharged," noted Senator Jon Kyl. "As Arizona continues to grow, it needs transformative thinking in the way we manage our water supplies. The Luke 303 Regional Water Reclamation Facility is an outstanding example of that kind of transformative thinking."

The Luke 303 facility, which is expected to serve communities where current or future military families live and work, represents an approximate $95 million investment over the life of the project back into the local economy. The project is being funded through private capital from EPCOR and the Loop 303 Landowners Group. The Loop 303 Landowners Group is a group of private landowners who own developable land that will be served by the new facility and provided the 40-acre parcel where the facility will be built. The facility and the wastewater district it serves are located in Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman's district.

In addition to the partnership with the private landowners served by the facility, EPCOR also worked with Maricopa County, the cities of Glendale, Goodyear and Litchfield Park and in partnership with nearby Luke AFB to specifically design the facility to comply with base requirements and to maintain pilot safety.

"The complex system of wastewater treatment quietly does a job we simply can't live without," said EPCOR Water USA President Joe Gysel. "Critical infrastructure projects such as the Luke 303 facility are the foundation of economic development for communities by creating jobs and being a foundation for growth."

"This new facility represents an exciting new chapter in the growth and development of the City of Glendale and the West Valley," stated City of Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers. "Partnerships between municipalities and private utilities give us the power to bring new opportunities to fruition for our residents, our city and our region. With construction now underway, we're looking forward to this extension of the Glendale community."

Work on the 40-acre facility is underway and expected to be completed in early 2017. EPCOR partnered with WaterWorks Engineers to design the facility, which will be constructed by Archer Western Construction LLC.

The Luke 303 Regional Water Reclamation Facility will serve the new Luke 303 wastewater district approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission on October 27, 2015.

About EPCOR Water USA

Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, EPCOR Water USA's wholly owned subsidiaries build, own and operate water and wastewater treatment facilities and infrastructure in the southwestern United States. EPCOR Water USA is the largest private, regulated water utility in Arizona and New Mexico, providing water and wastewater service to approximately 350,000 customers through approximately 202,000 service connections across 22 communities and seven counties.