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Basic Due Diligence Is Critical to Project Success
Phoenix is fortunate that it is growing both at its fringes and within the central parts of the City. The need for infrastructure in new development areas is obvious, but the need for such infrastructure in the central parts of the City is not as obvious. However, as the density and land use changes in the central parts of the City, the need for new infrastructure is just as important as at the City’s fringe. Infill developers should include a review of infrastructure capacity as part of their due diligence. This web site provides some information on how to get started with this review and the types of issues that should be considered in any infill due diligence process.
Overview:
Any developer or property owner contemplating the construction of new residential subdivisions, commercial or other space, or a change in use that will result in increased demands for water or increased wastewater generation, should be aware that those changes may require additional improvements to the larger City water and wastewater systems. Developers and property owners SHOULD NOT ASSUME that the existence of water or wastewater lines, either connected directly to the property or running adjacent to the property, will permit a simple connection to accommodate new water demand and/or wastewater generation. Developers or landowners who are contemplating the construction of multiple residential structures or any commercial or industrial structures SHOULD ENGAGE A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER OR PLANNER WHO HAS EXPERIENCE WITH URBAN DEVELOPMENT to investigate the current state of the existing water and wastewater network, and to evaluate what improvements might be necessary to serve their project. Owners of existing commercial properties who are seeking to add additional water meters or upgrade the capacity of existing meters should contact the Development Services Department or Water Services Department directly for information and directions.
The Water Services Department (WSD) does not attempt to regulate land development locations, dimensions, densities or characteristics, but must ensure that performance requirements associated with health and safety issues are maintained. These performance requirements include maintaining water pressures and flows that meet average and peak demand as well as fire flow requirements established by the Fire Department, and providing adequate wastewater network capacity to accommodate flows during both normal peak periods and when inflow and infiltration from rainfall events dramatically increase flows in the sewer system. WSD routinely requires those who are proposing new developments to make improvements to the City's water and wastewater systems to accommodate the new demands that will accompany the new development. It should be noted that these improvements are often associated not only with immediate needs for capacity in facilities that are directly adjacent to the specific development, but also to long-term network-wide needs imposed by many new anticipated developments.
Examples of Improvements Needed in Redevelopment
Situations: Examples of water and wastewater improvements that may be required of new development in areas with existing water distribution mains and sewers include:
- INADEQUATE CAPACITY IN EXISTING WATER LINES: In many areas the existing water distribution system is made up of smaller, older distribution lines (often only 6" or 8" in diameter) that cannot provide adequate water volumes or fire flow pressures for anticipated urban redevelopment, which may involve significant additional vertical residential or commercial development. To accommodate this anticipated development, a more robust system of larger (usually 12" in diameter, but sometimes larger) lines will be needed, so new developments are required to construct larger lines that connect into existing lines. Generally these lines are 'looped' to connect to two different larger lines to maintain water pressures, so requirements can often be greater than simply building along the parcel boundaries.
- EXISTING SUBSTANDARD WATER LINES: Section 37-33 of the City Code requires that water distribution lines be constructed along the parcel boundaries of virtually all types of new development (or redevelopment). The existence of older substandard water mains will not eliminate this requirement. In many parts of the City, water lines exist but were installed many decades ago, are gradually deteriorating, and were not designed to accommodate the types of density and land use that are occurring with redevelopment.
- INADEQUATE CAPACITY IN SEWERS: In many situations a sewer will exist in a location adjacent to a contemplated development, leading the developer to incorrectly assume that sewer access is easily and inexpensively obtained, but there are capacity issues associated either with the immediately-adjacent sewer, or other facilities further downstream. If any capacity limitation exists in the adjacent sewer or any sewer, interceptor or lift station that must move the wastewater to the relevant treatment plant, the developer would be responsible making the necessary improvements to ensure those bottlenecks are eliminated, or wait until the City can make such improvements through its Capital Improvement Program.
- LIMITATIONS ON ACCESS TO NEARBY SEWERS: In some cases a sewer will exist in a nearby location, but will not be accessible because of physical constraints such as grade issues or utility barriers where a connection can not meet the City's system design standards. For example, in the southwestern part of Estrella most new residential development has been unable to tap into an existing older network of sewers because those sewers are tied to a larger system that was designed to convey regional sewer flows and as result is not deep enough for adjacent projects to gravity flow to it in this relatively flat, hard to drain area. In such areas construction of regional lift stations may be required.
Click here to view areas of the city where extra attention is required.
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