News
Announcements / Highlights
The new 2012 Standards for Public Sanitary Sewers in Pima County were approved and adopted by the Pima County Board of Supervisors meeting on December 18, 2012.
Click here for more information.
The 2012 Day-after-Thanksgiving Grease Collection & Recycling Event was a big success. Residents delivered 3,705 pounds of grease to recycling sites the day after Thanksgiving -- nearly 2 tons of grease! Since the Day-After-Thanksgiving Grease Collection and Recycling event began in 2005, 22,058 pounds of grease have been collected and kept out of the sewers!! Still have grease to recycle? We also have year-round grease collection sites.
Proper 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.
Applying 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.
Sewer Connection Information
Realtors and homeowners looking for sewer connection information can now search the Connection Records database online.
Department News
Pima County is working on a $185 million project to update its Roger Road Wastewater Treatment Facility (WTF).
When the work is finished in early 2014, the sewage treatment plant will meet Environmental Protection Agency standards for the amount of nitrogen, ammonia and other contaminants in the treated water, and will be able to meet future standards for phosphorous. The plant is one of 10 in the county, and the reconstruction of this WTF is part of a larger county facility upgrade — part of the project known as the Regional Optimization Master Plan, or ROMP.
Celebrate the Fifth Annual Green Living Fair on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at the HabiStore, 935 W. Grant Rd., (1/4 mile east of I-10) from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Enter for a chance to win an iPad at the Fair and learn how to keep more green in your pocket through water harvesting, solar, gardening, driving options, recycling and more! For more information, call Terry at 889-7200 or Lilian at 740-6647.
The Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department was 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 received this prestigious award at NACWA’s Summer Conference & 40th Anniversary in San Francisco, CA on Wednesday, July 21, 2010.
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.”
Program Updates
- Odor Control Program - We are committed to mitigating odors emitted from treatment facilities and the sanitary sewerage system. Report them with our new Online Odor Report Form or by calling (520) 724-3400.
- New Online Odor Report Form
- Odor Management Quarterly Reports - including recent odor control updates
- Regional Optimization Master Plan
- Capital Improvement Program
- Save Our Sewers Program - Don't let the Grease Monster out!
- Drop-off locations for grease are available year-round for your grease.
Publications
- Sewer Bill Inserts - Current news and information
- Minutes from the Regional Wastewater Reclamation Advisory Committee meeting
- See all Publications
General Information
- 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.
New on the Web
- 2011 Effluent Generation Report
- Revised forms for Capacity Determination Requests
- Public Sewer Construction Permits - New process for public sewer line installations (connections requiring a manhole or for pipe 12" and greater) and repairs
- Online Sewer Connection Database - New online searching of the Connection Records database
- Appeals on Winter Quarter Average - New online form. You can save money on your sewer bill if December, January, and February are not your lowest consecutive months of water use.
