CH2M HILL OMI
City of Fayeteville Wastewater Facilities
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Originally, CH2M HILL OMI was selected to operate the City of Fayetteville’s wastewater facilities because of the access CH2M HILL OMI could give the city to a broad range of technical resources. CH2M HILL OMI began providing full contract O&M services for the 10-million gallon per day (mgd), complete mix, activated sludge plant in 1984. The initial contract renewed sole source, and the current term runs through 2008.
In early 1988, CH2M HILL OMI began providing startup services and operations for a 12.6 mgd, advanced waste treatment facility, 22 pump stations (now 38), the industrial pretreatment program and the sludge management system. CH2M HILL OMI’s sister engineering company CH2M HILL performed original facility design and construction management.
As part of the start-up effort, CH2M HILL OMI’s maintenance team completely rehabilitated the pump stations to engineering design specifications. The existing sludge management program, which included high-rate aerobic sludge digestion and land application of 3.5 dry tons per day of sludge on grasslands, was modified in 2003 to meet Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality requirements and now consists of dewatering and trucking to a landfill.
The wastewater plant has won numerous awards under CH2M HILL OMI’s management and is a nationally recognized facility. Kevin Crosson, Fayetteville’s Director of Public Works, upon hearing the news of an award for outstanding achievement in industrial pretreatment, commented, “I am extremely proud to be associated with professionals like yourselves and look forward to our continued relationship.”
Since the Fayetteville project began, it has produced more than 30 CH2M HILL OMI managers who are now spread across the country and, at times, around the world. The project has come to be known as a “training ground” for CH2M HILL OMI leadership. Mark Swayne, CH2M HILL OMI operations specialist, noted, “There was a huge improvement almost immediately when CH2M HILL OMI took over. I became an operations supervisor under CH2M HILL OMI, which soon led to a big career advancement as a project manager in New Mexico.”
From California to Florida and from Illinois to Texas, there are project managers, operations specialists, area managers and quality coaches who all began their careers at Fayetteville. Together, these professionals
now have more than 200 years of experience in the company and are sharing their expertise throughout
CH2M HILL OMI. |
