​PHOENIX—July 11, 2022— EPCOR USA Inc. (EPCOR USA) has completed a $48 million expansion of the Luke 303 Regional Water Reclamation Facility (Luke 303) in one of the fastest-growing areas of Maricopa County and the Greater Phoenix metropolitan area.

The facility treats effluent to the highest state standards and can now return up to 1.75 million gallons daily to Arizona’s natural water cycle. Designed to expand in phases with the surrounding area, Luke 303 will ultimately recharge up to 8 million gallons into the ground every day – enough water to support approximately 24,000 single-family homes annually.

“One of the most important responsibilities we have is to maintain the infrastructure necessary to ensure long-term system reliability for our communities,” said EPCOR USA President Joe Gysel. “But this is about more than modern infrastructure – it’s deliberate and thoughtful water management in the desert​ and how vibrant communities and growth can be achieved while still protecting our water.”

This is the latest expansion of the wastewater and water reclamation infrastructure underpinning 4,400 acres of growth along the Loop 303 corridor near Luke Air Force Base. The 30-month project increased the 40-acre site’s water recycling capabilities to meet the long-term wastewater needs of surrounding residential areas and commercial businesses such as Microsoft, Rauch, Ball Canning and Nestle.

“My family has called the West Valley home for generations,” said Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman. “One thing has remained constant: the importance of protecting and preserving our water. Arizona has been – and continues to be – a leader in this arena, and the expansion of the Luke 303 Water Reclamation Facility comes at a time when the importance of water has perhaps never been so top of mind for Arizonans.”

The expansion included construction of a 6.6-mile sewer line to serve major commercial tenants in the area, roughly 2.5 miles of which is along the west side of Luke Air Force Base. Using Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) technology, micro-organisms are activated in the process of cleaning and treating the water. The enclosed facility was carefully designed to comply with Luke Air Force Base flight safety requirements. 

“The West Valley is expanding in smart ways, but that growth, economic development and quality of life does not come without a very strategic and long-range approach to water and wastewater infrastructure,” noted Sintra Hoffman, President and CEO at WESTMARC, a coalition of municipalities, businesses and education providers in the West Valley. “Luke 303 is an important element of where we are today and where we are growing economically in the future.” 

Environmental stewardship is a core value of EPCOR, and future expansions of Luke 303 will help EPCOR continue to focus on its goal of recycling more than 90 percent of the wastewater it collects. Since 2012, EPCOR has reclaimed more than 18.2 billion gallons of water through re-use or re-charge. Read EPCOR’s ESG Report.

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About EPCOR USA

EPCOR is among the largest private utilities in the Southwest and the largest in Arizona, providing water, wastewater and natural gas service to approximately 780,000 people across 42 communities and 18 counties in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. With corporate offices in Phoenix, EPCOR employs approximately 425 people.​