Sterling Natural Resource Center

Reclaimed water or recycled water, is wastewater (sewage) that is treated to remove solids and certain impurities, and used in many settings for sustainable landscaping irrigation or to recharge groundwater aquifers. The purpose of these processes is sustainability and water conservation, rather than discharging the treated water to surface waters such as rivers and oceans. The Sterling Natural Resource Center is a reclamation facility which will be used to replenish the local groundwater basin.

In an effort to select a name that represented the long history of the region and the resource the facility will be, the team looked to the past. The Sterling Natural Resource Center is named after A.E. Sterling, a local visionary and active valley leader.

In addition, one definition of sterling is: "of the highest quality."

The SNRC intends to be a community asset and a good neighbor. The SNRC facility includes:

• Offices to serve the wastewater treatment facility
• Integration with the community through compatible land use and aesthetically pleasing design
• Administration Center that provides:
  • Publicly accessible open space and water features
  • Multipurpose spaces for emergency and community uses
  • Opportunities for the community and local students with an interpretive center

The SNRC will use Membrane BioReactors, which is a process that combines filtration with biological treatment to reduce the amount of space needed to operate the facility. Therefore, allowing for the reclamation process to be completely self-contained. 

As part of the SNRC’s commitment to being a good neighbor, the project’s design includes extensive state-of-the-art vessel systems to help prevent unwanted odors. These systems will “scrub” the air so that there is no noticeable odor coming from the facility. Water produced by the SNRC will be cleaned and disinfected through multiple processes. Additionally, recycled water is clear and has no smell.

The SNRC incorporated state-of-the-art digesters to turn 130,000 gallons per day of organic waste into 3 megawatts of renewable energy. East Valley Water District will import the material from local waste processors, due to the high concentration of material needed. At this time, there will be no acceptance of local drop-offs of household organic waste.