New Administrative Workforce Center and Laboratory Ready for the Future
July 2026
We are kicking off July by celebrating the official opening of our Administrative Workforce Center and Laboratory (AWC). This new building represents a commitment to our future, our employees, and the people we serve every day. It replaces multiple facilities, including a building that was not intended to be used for offices and a building that is more than 100 years old and had been renovated and added toseveral times, making additional expansion infeasible and the addition of modern technology impractical.
Designed for Energy Savings
Regulatory standards, environmental responsibility, and employee needs were carefully considered when designing the AWC and Laboratory. The facility provides a modern, welcoming environment where our teams can collaborate, innovate, and serve our community better and more efficiently – and using significantly less energy.
One way it accomplishes this is simply how we heat and cool the building. We chose to use geothermal heating and air conditioning, which uses 25-50 percent less electricity than traditional HVAC systems. Itworks by transferring heat to and from a closed loop system connected to a well field. This system produces no greenhouse gas emissions and has very low maintenance issues/costs. Additional energy savings is realized through a fully controllable, automated lighting and electrical system. Lights are on when scheduled or when employees are present, and some outlets can be shut off completely when not needed, reducing our overall power usage.
Designed for Scalability & Balance 
Our new Laboratory is an open-concept room with large glass walls, where chemists and technicians can share knowledge more readily than in the old, multi-room lab. Not only did we upgrade to state-of-the-art equipment , but we also considered safety, maintenance, and repair when determining their placement in the lab. As wastewater treatment demands expand, the Laboratory is well-equipped to give our team what they need to do the safest and best job possible.
(Above) An early image of the SDD Laboratory c. 1924.
(Below) The new, open-concept SDD Laboratory.
Designed for Health & Safety
Buildings are important, but what truly brings them to life are the people inside them. The success of this organization has always been driven by the dedication, talent, and passion of our employees. The AWC is an investment in them and in the work they do every day to make a positive difference in the environment. To that end, we created the AWC as a Microsoft Teams building – which means our meeting spaces are ‘smart’ and enable employees and consultants to connect remotely. This, in turn, helps reduce travel expenses and provides enhanced work-life balance. In addition, we heightened several security features for access to the AWC and the SDD campus.
As our needs continue to evolve, this facility gives us the space and resources to grow while maintaining our focus on excellence.