Congratulations to the Spanish Fork Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) planning, design, and construction teams for winning the 2025 Utah ACEC Honor award. Gary Vance, representing J-U-B, Clint Rogers, representing Stantec, and Cory Pierce and Zac Staheli from Spanish Fork City were present to receive the award at ACEC’s annual banquet in February 2026.
J-U-B Team Members: Gary Vance, Andrew Hobson, Levi Shoolroy, Christina Osborn, Lauren Schmidt, Jordan Pugmire, Katie Reams, Braxton Porter, Jessie Schuster, Robert St. Michell, Kylie Cutler, Will Holder, and Drew Baden.
Project Overview
To accommodate ongoing growth and protect local waterways, Spanish Fork and Mapleton required a modern solution to replace their outdated reclamation facility. The J-U-B/Stantec team proposed a new water reclamation facility on a nearby site while the old plant stayed in service during construction. The design pairs advanced biological treatment with membrane filtration and ultraviolet disinfection. The facility treats more than 7 million gallons per day and was designed to comply with future stringent nutrient limits. The tight site required optimized footprint for all structures, and the headworks building and UV disinfection facilities were designed to accommodate peak hour buildout flow rates, including spare channels for future equipment.
Collaboration and Delivery Approach
Delivery relied on close partnership with the Construction Manager / General Contractor (CM/GC) and city operations staff. Early purchase of major equipment reduced overall project costs in an inflationary environment and buffered against supply chain delays. Operator workshops at each design milestone and three-dimensional modeling encouraged city input, making sure everyone saw how the plant would run before concrete was poured. These strategies reduced changes, accelerated decisions, and resulted in a high degree of ownership from city staff.
Innovative Solutions and Construction
Early on in the project, the team upgraded solids handling at the existing site, utilizing existing infrastructure and implementing emergency repairs to replace failing equipment. This innovative greenfield-plus-retrofit approach reduced overall costs and streamlined the transition to the new facility. Additional early out packages were constructed, ensuring the CM/GC was actively engaged while the greenfield treatment plant was still being designed. Up to 60” diameter off-site piping was installed, and new siphons had to pass under an active railroad while keeping access open for nearby businesses. Poor, quake-prone soils needed specialized ground improvements to reduce settlement and protect structures.
Project Impact and Results
This partnership between J-U-B and Stantec resulted in a state-of-the-art facility that produces very high-quality water, thereby protecting the aquatic environment in Utah Lake for future generations while positioning the cities for future water reuse. The layout allows for straightforward expansion to serve the next twenty years and beyond. The project finished on time and $3.6 million below the guaranteed maximum price of $120M. This innovative and highly successful project was seamlessly executed due to the collaborative relationships, open communication, and problem-solving focus between the engineering team, City staff, and the CM/GC.
