The Pinal County Board of Supervisors has approved three requests that would let EPCOR move forward on its plan to replace the Section 11 wastewater plant in the Queen Creek/San Tan Valley area with a new alternative known as the Copper Basin Water Reclamation Facility.
Plans were once in place to renovate and expand the site, but that idea was shelved in 2020. Previous owner Johnson Utilities had many issues with the plant before being acquired by EPCOR in 2021. EPCOR has undertaken to fix many of the Johnson Utilities issues as part of its operations.
The company’s requests before the Board included a minor comprehensive plan amendment, a planned area development overlay amendment and a rezoning for the 32-acre area east of the railroad tracks in San Tan Valley where the new plant would be located.
As part of the plan, EPCOR will screen the site with a wall and landscaping and be required to provide an ambient noise study before building begins. The final sound level for the plant once operations begin must be no more than 10 decibels more than the pre-construction ambient noise.
County staff received four letters of support and several emails in opposition to the proposal. Concerns included worries about odor, noise and the potential for the plant to be visually unappealing. (Source)