Rep. Greg Stanton said yesterday that a $3 million federal investment that he secured to construct a new reclaimed water facility in Chandler has been included in a House appropriations bill.
Once completed, in 2024, the facility will treat 10 million gallons of water each day. Reclaimed water—wastewater that has been treated to very high standards for use in irrigation, lakes, industrial use, and aquifer recharge—is a key component of Chandler’s water management strategy as it allows the city to use recycled water rather than surface water in many circumstances.
The treatment facility is necessary to support Intel’s expansion in the East Valley. The company broke ground on two new microchip fabrication plants at the Chandler Ocotillo Campus late last year, which are expected to be operational by 2024. The plants are expected to create more than 3,000 high-tech jobs as well as employ 3,000 construction jobs.
The treatment plant is a public-private partnership, with the city and Intel each contributing to cover the remainder of the costs. Half of the water treated at the facility will support Intel while the other half will supplement the city’s groundwater recharge efforts, better preparing the city and region for drought.
“Intel appreciates the support of Congressman Stanton in securing federal funding to continue expanding here in the Valley,” Intel’s vice president of global public affairs and chief sustainability officer, Todd Brady, said. “Semiconductor manufacturing is at the heart of everything we do and investment in it and water management is critically important for a prosperous future. We are thankful for collaborations like this one and look forward to our continued partnership moving forward.”
“This project exemplifies how valuable public-private partnerships can be when we’re tackling these important issues together. This additional federal funding will help bring the project to life, reducing the overall costs to Chandler ratepayers and helping to secure a more sustainable water future,” Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke said.