Delaware County’s Regional Sewer District today cut the ribbon on the newly renovated Olentangy Environmental Control Center (OECC). Located at 10333 Olentangy River Road in Powell, the OECC was Delaware County’s first large-scale facility for wastewater treatment. Originally built in 1979, then replaced by a second facility at the same site in 1994, the OECC has now completed renovations after breaking ground on this project in September 2022. The overall cost of the project was $46 million, funded in part by a grant from the Ohio Department of Development.
“This project has set us up for the future with state-of-the-art technology and processes,” said Regional Sewer District Director Tiffany Maag. “Special thanks go out to all of the Regional Sewer District staff who performed on-going operations at the plant throughout construction, which can be extremely difficult to ensure we are meeting our EPA requirements with limited equipment available at times.”
Jeff Benton, president of this year’s Board of Commissioners, said, “The OECC serves what we have identified as key growth corridors along Sawmill Parkway and US Route 23. An investment like this is not just an investment in growth, but in being able to manage our growth strategically.”
The project also has become notable because it was one of the first public-sector projects in Ohio to utilize an innovative design and construction process known as Progressive Design Build, which reduced the overall costs by an estimated $12 million, said Maag. Instead of “bidding out” construction after design is completed, design was done in collaboration with engineering and construction firms, thereby enabling better design decisions while lowering costs. The County worked with the Columbus office of design-engineering firm Arcadis U.S., Inc., and Peterson Construction Company of Wapakoneta, Ohio, on the project.
“The last several years have brought historic challenges to supply chains and material markets,” Arcadis Project Manager Chad Dunn said. “Using Progressive Design Build kept this project on budget and on time.”
Rob Knapke, Vice President at Peterson Construction, added, “This has been a collaborative effort from start to finish, and a real credit to Delaware County’s forward-thinking vision.”
The Delaware County Regional Sewer District serves more than 129,000 people with 550 miles of sewer lines. For more information about the DCRSD, visit their website at: https://regionalsewer.co.delaware.oh.us/. Learn more about Arcadis U.S. at https://www.arcadis.com/ and about Peterson Construction Company at https://petersonconstructionco.com/.