Green Computing

How the project manager or team exhibited exceptional and ethical project management practices

The Prairie Waters Project, led by CH2M HILL, marked one of the largest water-related public works project in Colorado in more than 35 years. Its exemplary innovation and completion, two months ahead of schedule and US$100 million under budget, has made it the 2011 recipient of the Project Management Institute’s prestigious PMI Project of the Year Award. The Prairie Waters Project was a fast track response to a severe drought and collapse of a municipal water system that served thousands of people. In the year 2003 the city was months from needing to ration water to maintain a dwindling supply decimated by regional drought. Aurora Water was asked by city leaders to ensure that it was capturing all the water the city currently owns in wells near the South Platte River's bank for use by Aurora residents (Learnard, C., Kelly, M. Megan, 2013).

New delivery processes were developed to manage the project; it combines natural purification with advanced engineering solutions. The facility features softening, advanced ultraviolet light oxidation, granular media filtration, and granular activated carbon and is designed to work in conjunction with the project's natural purification area, where water percolates with the natural sand and gravel found along the river. Because this process purifies the water naturally, there is no waste that must be discharged back into the river and it greatly reduces the demand on more energy-intensive filtration. Colorado's volatile water market makes purchasing additional water resources time consuming and expensive. Not only is the project cost effective through developing already owned water resources, but other design and operation features work together to maximize the use of city funds. The Prairie Waters Project delivers water to the city fast and on time, and uses water from the South Platte River, which will be available even when other...