SCIF Scope of Work R2

City of Mesa — City Council (2026-04-20)

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Participating Owners: Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa 
SRP/CAP Interconnection Facility (SCIF) 
SCIF Downstream Impact Study 
 
 
Scope of Work 
Page 1 of 4 
 
Scope of Work 
Background 
The Salt River Project (SRP)/Central Arizona Project (CAP) Interconnection Facility (SCIF) project 
aims to enable SRP water to be pumped into the CAP canal. The SCIF would allow the use of 
existing infrastructure and provide operational flexibility for two of the largest water providers in 
Arizona. If implemented, the SCIF would allow water stored in SRP reservoirs to be transported to 
customers with water treatment plants outside SRP’s service territory. Cities like Mesa, Chandler, 
Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Glendale, which have ownership of water within the conservation space 
behind Roosevelt Dam, could benefit by receiving water through CAP, optimizing their water 
resource utilization. The SCIF is essentially the reverse of a previous project, the CAP/SRP 
Interconnection Facility (CSIF), completed in 1990, which allowed CAP water to be delivered 
through the SRP system. 
Introduction 
The purpose of this SCIF Downstream Impact Study (Study) is to evaluate the impact to water 
users downstream of the SCIF, specifically the Town of Gilbert (Gilbert), City of Chandler 
(Chandler), and City of Mesa (Mesa) (collectively Owners). This Study is being jointly funded by 
these three municipalities and will be managed by Gilbert and executed by Water Works Engineers 
(Engineer). Cost sharing will be executed through existing Inter-Governmental Agreements (IGAs) 
between Owners.  
While providing the water resource benefits listed above, operation of the SCIF will impact 
downstream water users due to the blending of SRP and CAP water. This blending could affect 
several key water quality parameters, including Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and turbidity, 
potentially exceeding the limits of existing plant processes and systems. 
Total Organic Carbon 
TOC levels in SRP water are higher than those typically found in CAP water. Elevated TOC can lead 
to increased formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) during the water treatment process. To 
manage higher TOC levels, downstream water treatment plants may need to implement additional 
or enhanced treatment processes. This could result in significant capital improvements to upgrade 
existing infrastructure. 
Turbidity 
Turbidity also varies between SRP and CAP sources. Higher turbidity levels in SRP water could 
challenge the existing clarification and filtration systems at downstream treatment plants,

Participating Owners: Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa 
SRP/CAP Interconnection Facility (SCIF) 
SCIF Downstream Impact Study 
 
 
Scope of Work 
Page 2 of 4 
 
potentially requiring upgrades to filtration systems or the addition of pre-treatment processes to 
ensure compliance with regulatory standards. This would involve capital expenditures on new 
equipment and modifications to existing systems. 
Scope of Work 
Task Series 1 Project Administration 
Task 1.1 Project Management 
This task involves overseeing all aspects of the Study, including: 
• 
Coordinating with Gilbert and Owners to ensure clear communication and alignment on project 
goals, scope, and deliverables. 
• 
Managing the project schedule, budget, and resources to ensure timely and cost-effective 
completion of the project. 
• 
Facilitating regular meetings and progress updates to address any issues or changes in the 
project scope. 
Task Series 2 Data Collection and Review 
Engineer will complete data collection and review phase as described in the following tasks. 
Task 2.1 Historical Source Water Quality from both SRP and CAP 
SRP is currently completing a blend analysis that evaluates the range of operating blend scenarios 
from the SRP and CAP source waters. It is anticipated that this will include parameters such as 
TOC, turbidity, pH, Alkalinity, TDS, Hardness, Sodium, Chloride, Sulfate, Bromide, UV254 and other 
relevant constituents. It is also understood that this SRP blend analysis will assess variability in 
flow rates from both SRP and CAP sources and evaluate the likelihood and implications of a 
scenario where 100% of the water in the CAP canal is sourced from SRP. The Study will develop 
and analyze a single worst-case scenario in coordination with the stakeholders.  The effort 
included under this task is to document and incorporate the results of this SRP blend analysis into 
the study.  
Task 2.2 Historical WTP Raw Water Quality and WTP Performance 
Under this task, historical raw water quality data will be collected from each of the respective water 
treatment plants (WTPs) involved in the study: San Tan Vista Water Treatment Plant (SVWTP), 
Signal Butte WTP, and Brown Road WTP. This data will include measurements of key water quality 
parameters identified above. Historical performance data from each WTP will be collected to 
evaluate the effectiveness of existing treatment processes. This includes data on settled water 
turbidity, filtered water turbidity, TOC removal efficiency, and other performance metrics. 
Historical operating parameters such as the types and dosage rates of chemicals used in the

Participating Owners: Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa 
SRP/CAP Interconnection Facility (SCIF) 
SCIF Downstream Impact Study 
 
 
Scope of Work 
Page 3 of 4 
 
treatment processes will be reviewed. This includes data on coagulants, polymers, acids, caustics, 
disinfectants, filter run durations, etc. The scope of this analysis will be limited to three (3) 1-year 
periods identified by the Owners as capturing significant or excursion events that created 
operational challenges in the past.  
Task Series 3 Existing WTP Evaluation 
Task 3.1 Identify Existing Treatment System Sizing and Capacity 
Engineer will document the existing water treatment processes and system sizing at each WTP. 
This includes the size, capacity, and number of sedimentation basins, filter basins, and other 
critical components.  
Task 3.2 Evaluate Existing Treatment Processes under SCIF Scenarios 
Engineer will evaluate the performance of the existing treatment processes under the previously 
described SCIF scenarios. This evaluation will identify any treatment capability gaps where the 
existing processes are insufficient. This will involve assessing the effectiveness of sedimentation, 
filtration, TOC removal, chemical feed, and other critical processes in handling the blended water 
quality. Engineer will also identify the predicted reduced capacity of each WTP under the various 
SCIF scenarios developed previously.  
Task 3.3 Evaluate Solids Handling Processes under SCIF Scenarios 
Treating water with higher turbidity and TOC levels will generate more solids which must be 
concentrated, dewatered, and disposed of appropriately. Engineer will perform a mass balance to 
assess solids loading rates in residuals treatment processes to evaluate existing capacity and 
reduced capacity under SCIF scenarios.  
Task Series 4 WTP Upgrades and Recommendations 
Task 4.1 Process Upgrades 
Engineer will identify new or modified unit processes to meet water quality standards under 
maximum SCIF impact scenarios. New or modified unit processes could include pre-
sedimentation, oxidation, enhanced filtration, optimized chemical dosing, etc., to ensure 
compliance with regulatory standards and maintain overall treatment efficacy under SCIF 
scenarios.  
Task 4.2 Cost Development 
Engineer will evaluate the cost impacts associated with implementing new unit processes and 
upgrades at each WTP. This evaluation will include several key areas: 
• 
Capital Expenditures

Participating Owners: Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa 
SRP/CAP Interconnection Facility (SCIF) 
SCIF Downstream Impact Study 
 
 
Scope of Work 
Page 4 of 4 
 
• 
Increased Chemical Usage 
• 
Electrical  
• 
Solids Handling and Disposal 
• 
Maintenance Costs 
• 
Staffing Costs 
Task Series 5 Impact Study 
Task 5.1 Report Development 
The Engineer will provide a draft and final comprehensive report summarizing the findings from the 
evaluation of the existing WTPs under various scenarios. This report will include proposed 
upgrades to address identified gaps in treatment capabilities, detailed cost impacts associated 
with implementing new unit processes, and compliance evaluations to ensure adherence to 
regulatory standards. The engineer will develop conceptual designs for the recommended 
upgrades and document the cost estimates for these new unit processes. Additionally, the 
engineer will offer operational recommendations to optimize the performance of the WTPs under 
the anticipated water quality conditions.