 Pima County Wastewater Department seeks public’s input on future of former
Roger Road plant site
PIMA COUNTY, March 19, 2025 – The Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department (RWRD) is seeking the public’s input for the reuse of the site of a former wastewater facility.
The Roger Road Wastewater Reclamation Facility closed in December 2013, when it was replaced by the new, state-of-the-art Agua Nueva Water Reclamation Facility.
Since then, the site of the former plant – located at 2600 W. Sweetwater Drive — has stood vacant. Now, the County hopes to revitalize the site, which includes almost 50 acres adjacent to the Santa Cruz River, the Chuck Huckelberry Loop, and the City of Tucson’s Sweetwater Wetlands Park.
Got ideas? RWRD is inviting the public to share its thoughts on how the site should be utilized by taking a short survey. It will run through March 28, and can be accessed here.
“This property has so much potential,” said Kimberly Baeza, permit and regulatory compliance officer with RWRD. “We are so excited to explore the possibilities of transforming this unique site into a beautiful and functional space that will benefit the entire community.”
Baeza said the survey’s results will inform future development of the property and help it benefit the community for years to come.
RWRD and its consultant on the Roger Road project, the Center for Creative Land Recycling, are also holding community workshops where the public can share their ideas more directly. The next workshop will be held Thursday, April 24, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Road.
The site of the former Roger Road facility is currently classified as a brownfields site, which means that remediation must take place before it can be reused. Cleanup of the site is currently underway and is expected to be completed this summer.
The County received a $492,681 Brownfields Cleanup Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2024 to remove lead-based paint and asbestos from the site. The EPA and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality have also invested around $280,000 in environmental and reuse assessments of the property.
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