AZ Wastewater Plant to be Fully Powered by Solar

Johnson Utilities in Pinal County, Ariz., is using solar energy to fully power a wastewater-treatment facility, reports AZ Central.

The privately-held utility is installing more than 5,400 solar panels over six acres of property surrounding its wastewater plant in Anthem at Merrill Ranch, and expects to complete the $10-million project by midsummer, according to the newspaper. The utility also uses solar on an adjacent site to power a well and water plant that provides water to about 10,000 homes. The company plans to install solar panels on a second wastewater treatment facility in the fall.

To help Pima Country meet its goals of using green technology to provide 15 percent of its power needs by 2025, the county plans to install solar panels at one of its three major metropolitan wastewater facilities, and the Santa Cruz Water Company in Maricopa was recently awarded $2.8 million in stimulus money to use solar energy, according to AZ Central.

Monique Hanis, a spokeswoman for the Solar Energy Industries Association, told AZ Central that water-reclamation plants across the country are embracing solar technology. She also said in the article that The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included at least $2 billion that could be used to put solar property on wastewater-treatment plants.