News

 

Announcements / Highlights

Engineering Standards and SpecificationsDraft Version of RWRD Engineering Standards and Specifications, 2011 Edition
Public comments for the Draft Version of the PCRWRD Engineering Standards and Specifications, 2011 Edition, are currently under review. The final updated version of this document will be available soon.

Save Our Sewers Grease Recycling EventThe 2010 Day-after-Thanksgiving Grease Collection & Recycling Event was a big success. Residents delivered 4,400 pounds of grease to recycling sites the day after Thanksgiving -- more than 2 tons of grease! Still have grease to recycle? We also have year-round grease collection sites.

Dispose-a-Med ProgramProper disposal of unused prescription and over-the-counter medications can help to protect our environment. Unused medications should not be flushed down drains and toilets! There is now a safe way to properly dispose of unused over-the-counter and prescription medications. We invite you to dispose of your unused medications through the Dispose-a-Med Program.

Public Sewer PermitApplying for a Public Sewer Construction Permit?
Take a look at our new process for public sewer line installations (connections requiring a manhole or for pipe 12" and greater) and repairs.

Connection fee databaseSewer Connection Information
Realtors and homeowners looking for sewer connection information can now search the Connection Records database online.

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Department News

Celebrate Green Living

Celebrate Green Living on Saturday, November 12, 2011 at the HabiStore, 935 W. Grant Rd., (1/4 mile east of I-10) from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Local experts will share money- saving tips on water harvesting and conservation, composting, green building and more! For more information, call Terry at 889-7200 or Lilian at 740-6647.

Green Living Brochure

Green Living Poster

New Director

Following a nationwide search, Pima County Administrator C.H. Huckelberry appointed Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department Deputy Director Jackson Jenkins to fill the position of Director at the retirement of the previous Director, Michael Gritzuk. Mr. Jenkins assumed the Director’s position on February 1, 2011.

Jackson Jenkins holds a Master in Business Administration from Western New Mexico University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from the University of Arizona. Mr. Jenkins also holds the highest-level State certification in Wastewater Collection, Wastewater Treatment, Water Treatment and Water Distribution.

Mr. Jenkins has over 20 years of experience in the mining industry and more than six years in the wastewater industry. He has spent six years in the position of Deputy Director of the Treatment Division at the County’s Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department.

RWRD FY 2009/10 Financial Plan Approved

The Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Advisory Committee and the Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department held a public meeting on Tuesday, February 9, 2010, to discuss the Fiscal Year 2009/10 Financial Plan. The plan was recommended by the RWRAC and approved by the Board of Supervisors on March 9, 2010. Further information can be found on the Financial Plan page.

Regional Optimization Master Plan Receives NACWA National Environmental Achievement Award

NACWA Environmental Achievement AwardThe Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department has been selected to receive the National Association of Clean Water Agency’s 2010 National Environmental Achievement Award in the Operations and Environmental Performance category for the Regional Optimization Master Plan. The department will receive this prestigious award at NACWA’s Summer Conference & 40th Anniversary in San Francisco, CA on Wednesday, July 21, 2010.

RWRD FY 2009/10 Financial Plan Approved

The Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Advisory Committee and the Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department held a public meeting on Tuesday, February 9, 2010, to discuss the Fiscal Year 2009/10 Financial Plan. The plan was recommended by the RWRAC and approved by the Board of Supervisors on March 9, 2010. Further information can be found on the Financial Plan page.

Archaeology Project at the Ina Road WRF (December 2009)

Archeology dig at Ina Road WRFBefore start of ROMP construction at the Ina Road WRF, Desert Archaeology (working with Pima County Cultural Resources) conducted an extensive archaeology dig on the site to document prehistoric Native American settlements. The archaeological work revealed a network of canals and fields from the San Pedro Period (1250 B.C. – 800 B.C.). The findings document an early sedentary agricultural settlement that includes the oldest known irrigation system in North America. The 60-acre excavation, called Las Capas (The Layers), won an award from Archaeology Magazine as one of the top 10 discoveries of 2009. View a slideshow about Las Capas and information from Desert Archaeology. With the excavation work complete, the department is free to begin construction on the Ina Road phase of the ROMP. (Earthwork started in February 2010.)

RWRD Director Michael Gritzuk receives TMA Public Servant of the Year Award (October 2009)

On Sunday, October 25, RWRD Director Mike Gritzuk was honored by the Tucson Mountain Association (TMA) with its Public Servant of the Year Award. He received the award for his efforts to help the community with odor control issues, and for his vision that RWRD facilities should be aesthetically pleasing and important community resources beyond the treatment of the community’s wastewater.

RWRD Receives NACWA Awards for Treatment Facilities (July 2009)

The RWRD Treatment Division received the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Silver, Gold and Platinum Peak Performance Awards for 2008, awarded at a ceremony on July 15, 2009.

To be eligible for a Silver Award, a wastewater reclamation facility must have no more than five AZPDES exceedances in a calendar year. Gold Award recipients must have zero exceedances in a calendar year. To qualify for a Platinum Award, a facility must have five or more consecutive years of zero permit exceedances (100% compliance) with AZPDES permit requirements.

In 2008, the Ina Road WRF and Roger Road WRF earned Silver Awards. Receiving Gold Awards were the Marana WRF, Mt. Lemmon WRF, and Randolph Park WRF. Platinum Award honors went to the Avra Valley WRF and the Green Valley WRF.

“These NACWA awards attest to the hard work, dedication, and attention to detail that our Operations and Maintenance, Laboratory, and Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Office staff exhibits in performing their critical roles for the department,” said Jackson Jenkins, Deputy Director Treatment Division. RWRD Director Michael Gritzuk said, “These awards are tribute to the hard work and professionalism of our staff. Pima County is fortunate to have such dedicated and skilled wastewater professionals.”

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Program Updates

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Publications

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General Information

  • Graywater Rebates - Arizona taxpayers may receive credit for installation costs of graywater or rainwater collection systems in their homes.
  • Got Mice? The Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department has received very few complaints of sewer mice. During the past five years, our department received and investigated a total of seven (7) mice complaints and encountered mice with only one of the complaints. Here’s some advice to follow should you find mice.

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New on the Web

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New Engineering Directives and Policies

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