MONTROSE, CO — The City of Montrose recently celebrated the groundbreaking of critical improvements to its existing wastewater treatment plant, marking a major investment in infrastructure that has protected public health and supported the community for more than four decades.
Originally commissioned in 1984 and expanded in 2009 to a permitted capacity of 4.32 million gallons per day (MGD), the city’s only wastewater treatment plant is operating well within its hydraulic capacity. However, aging infrastructure and anticipated future nutrient limits under Colorado Regulation 85 prompted the city to act now, before new limits are formally imposed.
“For more than four decades, the City of Montrose’s wastewater treatment plant has operated continuously, protecting public health and supporting the community’s growth,” said Bill Bell, City Manager for the City of Montrose. “Nearly every household and business, from restaurants to manufacturers, depends on this infrastructure every day. These improvements represent an important investment in maintaining the reliability and performance of this essential plant.”
The roughly $30 million project focuses on modernizing critical treatment systems and enhancing nutrient removal performance within the existing plant. Project completion is anticipated in fall 2027.
Being delivered through a progressive design-build approach with Burns & McDonnell and Moltz Construction, the project enables early contractor engagement, cost and schedule confidence, and collaboration while construction advances in phases.
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| SITECH Rocky Mountain |
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| SITECH Southwest |
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| SITECH Northwest |
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Key improvements include:
- Construction of a new anaerobic basin to provide dedicated biological phosphorus removal and support compliance with anticipated nutrient regulations.
- Replacement of aging influent screw pumps with submersible pumps to convey flow to the new anaerobic basin and improve operational reliability.
- Modifications to return activated sludge and waste activated sludge pumping systems to improve process control and operational flexibility.
- Replacement of oxidation ditch rotor aerators to improve reliability and maintain optimized treatment performance.
- Replacement of the UV disinfection system with a modern, self-cleaning system to improve reliability, reduce electrical consumption, and maintain permit compliance.
- Installation of a higher-capacity emergency standby generator to strengthen resiliency during power outages.
The project is funded through revenue bonds, with repayment supported by wastewater system user fees rather than new taxes.
“We are proud to support the City of Montrose in delivering these important improvements to its wastewater treatment plant,” said Brian Knadle, Operations Director for Burns & McDonnell in the Mountain Region and Design-Build Manager for the project. “By using a progressive design-build approach, the team has been able to collaborate early to streamline decision-making and advance critical upgrades efficiently.”
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| Faris Machinery |
| Faris Machinery |
“Moltz Construction is proud to partner with the City of Montrose and our design-build teammates to deliver these essential improvements," said Brent Topper, Project Manager at Moltz Construction. "Our team understands the importance of keeping this facility fully operational while upgrading critical systems, and we are committed to a collaborative approach that maintains reliability for the community throughout construction. We value the strong partnership driving this project forward and look forward to supporting the city in enhancing the long-term performance of its wastewater infrastructure.”
