As our population grows and our environment becomes hotter and drier, having ways to reuse campus water makes a big difference. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), when appropriately treated, wastewater can be used for various functions, from air conditioning to landscaping and firefighting. On the UC Davis campus, we use our disinfected water to heat and cool buildings and keep our Arboretum flowing for various wildlife. It takes a team of Facilities Management staff to keep the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) operating correctly and keep our wastewater fit for use in multiple ways.  

Brad Butterfield and his team manage the UC Davis WWTP. During a recent tour, they showed the latest technology in using UV light to sanitize wastewater as it passes through the UV light system. The original design became obsolete. A significant overhaul of the system updated the equipment. Design and Construction Management (DCM) team, a contractor, and design professionals worked alongside WWTP staff like Brad and operator Rob Guider to install the new UV light system earlier this year.  

The new UV light system requires fewer light bulbs which require less maintenance. New bulbs are installed only about every 16,000 hours, drastically reducing maintenance time by almost three years, as the older bulbs require maintenance every 10,000 hours. The equipment installed also helps the team see any problems and accurately track how much water passes through each section of UV lights. There are underground channels that the wastewater passes through. Then the water goes through a series of light stations to complete the disinfection process. The water flows through other treatment steps, then onto holding tanks for use across campus.  

Brad and his team stay on top of the latest technology to improve our operations. Saving water by reusing our wastewater is just one way that Facilities Management staff impact the UC Davis sustainability goals.