This fall, Alec Layden, a civil engineering graduate from Northern Arizona University and current design professional at Shive-Hattery, presented alongside his capstone team at the 2025 Water Environment Federation’s Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC), the largest water quality conference in North America. Their journey to the national stage began in April, when the team won the Arizona Water Association’s Student Design Competition.
The challenge: upgrade the Special Planning Area 1 Water Reclamation Facility in Surprise, Arizona, increasing its treatment capacity from 12.8 to 16.3 million gallons per day while planning for future growth. Alec and his teammates developed and recommended a solution that:
- Reconfigures oxidation ditches in Plants 4 and 5 to improve nitrogen and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) removal
- Introduces band screens to protect equipment and reduce maintenance
- Adjusts hydraulic systems to accommodate the increased design flow.
Their design balances innovation with practicality, optimizing existing infrastructure while creating space for future expansion. At WEFTEC, Alec and the NAU team competed against student teams from across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Costa Rica. Judges included both emerging and seasoned professionals from the water and wastewater industry, offering valuable feedback and networking opportunities.
