Local Expertise and Technical Innovation Help CDM Smith Win Colorado Pilot Plant Project 

WESTMINSTER, Colorado – CDM Smith is pleased to announce that it was recently selected to conduct pilot study research for a new 30 mgd initial, 60 mgd ultimate water treatment plant in Westminster, Colorado. In collab­o­ra­tion with subcon­trac­tors Hazen and Olsson, CDM Smith will work to develop a more reliable, resilient and sustainable solution for the city’s water supply needs. 

The team, led by pilot plant treata­bil­ity study expert and Colorado resident Tim Rynders, PE, with support from Carl Lundin, Jill Vandegrift and Chris Schulz, will conduct tests to determine the optimal treatment processes for safe drinking water under varying water quality conditions as part of Westminster’s WATER2025 initiative. This long-term planning project will work to replace the city's aging water treatment facility and ensure high-quality drinking water for the community now and into the future.

Cata­strophic fires in the watershed, and the impact of those fires on water quality, are of increasing concern for Westminster. The project team’s experience working with and under­stand­ing the treatment challenges was a critical factor in the selection of CDM Smith. A trusted rela­tion­ship between the client and project team helped CDM Smith to assemble a team that understood Westminster’s top priorities. 

Using HoloLens mixed reality technology during the interview process allowed for a more dynamic and hands-on interaction and project proof. This demon­stra­tion served as a reminder of the unpar­al­leled collab­o­ra­tion that technology like the HoloLens will bring to Westminster, keeping the owner and operations staff engaged through visu­al­iza­tion of future designs in the real-world environment. 

“This project win puts us in a special place in the water industry in Colorado,” said principal-in-charge and Colorado resident Solomon Abel, PE. “Going forward, we will be able to showcase our expertise in piloting, design and water treatment and deliver a landmark project right in our backyard.” 

Rynders echoes, “We have been building a remarkable design team here in Denver, and this win has brought us a lot of visibility in our abilities as the go-to firm in the area,” he said. “It feels great to know that we have arrived!”

The state-of-the-art WATER2025 pilot system will run through November 2020 and the project stands to become one of the largest water treatment plants in the Denver metro area. 

CDM Smith is a privately owned engineering and construc­tion firm providing legendary client service and smart solutions in water, environment, trans­porta­tion, energy and facilities. Passionate about our work and invested in each other, we are inspired to think and driven to solve the world’s envi­ron­men­tal and infra­struc­ture challenges.