Report: DWSD Should Retire One or More Water Treatment Plants

A recent report by CH2M Hill, a national engineering firm, questions whether the City of Detroit (DWSD) should continue to operate all 5 of its existing water treatment plants (WTP) in light of major population losses and large projected capital improvement costs.

In a June 28, 2011 report, CH2M Hill begins by noting that DWSD currently operates 5 water treatment plants, which have a combined capacity of 1,640 million gallons per day (MGD).

Lake Huron . . . . . . .  400 MGD
Northeast  . . . . . . . . . 300 MGD
Water Works Park . . . 240 MGD
Springwells . . . . . . . . 540 MGD
Southwest . . . . . . . . . 160 MGD

Over the past 5 years, the Report notes, the maximum daily demand across the DWSD system has dropped from 1,050 MGD to 800 MGD.  This change in circumstances, according to CH2M Hill, raises 2 important questions:

1. Is there a different way to operate the system by reducing the number of treatment plants and thereby reducing the [capital investment] CIP requirements?
2. Are all of the transmission mains recommended in [DWSD's 50 Year] Master Plan still needed within the time frame suggested?

The CH2M Report then lays out 3 scenarios under which DWSD would retire the Southwest WTP, the Northeast WTP, or both.

CH2M Hill makes the following preliminary recommendations:

• Northeast WTP -- "retirement of the Northeast plant is the most desireable as it is the plant with the largest capital allowance to rehabilitate the plant to an acceptable level of operation."

• Southwest WTP -- "work on rehabilitation of the treatment trains at the Southwest plant should be put on hold until a detailed analysis of the system hydraulics can be completed." 

• Water Works Park WTP -- "The CIP contains an amount of $24.5M for re-working the discharge piping . . . this expenditure should be put on hold until better decisions can be made with respect to the future needs of this plant."

• Springwells WTP -- "This water treatment plant is of strategic importance to the long term operation of the DWSD transmission system. Continuing with the work related to the filter rehabilitation and pumping is important and should continue. This includes [over $442 million worth of CIP projects]."

• Transmission Mains (NOTS and Flint Loop) -- "Base on current planning projections, all of this work [$584M] should be removed from the CIP."

The CH2M Hill Report outlines a number of other recommendations (here).

Comment: The CH2M Hill Report appears to have been published during the time period in which DWSD was evaluating the CIP, between early May and late July. It is unclear, however, whether the report was part of the decision making process. It was distributed only yesterday to attendees of a TAC Meeting.  

For more about DWSD Update, click here.

SW-548 Contract Approved By Water Board

On September 23, 2009, less than a month after bids were opened, the Board of Water Commissioners yesterday approved Contract No. SW-548 with Colasanti Construction Services for $49,680,368.

DWSD Contract SW-548, which was bid on September 1, 2009, involves a major overhaul of the Southwest Water Treatment Plant Sludge Treatment and Waste Washwater Treatment Facilities. The contract duration is 1,285 calendar days.

Colasanti Low Bidder on SW-548 Project

Earlier today, Colasanti Construction Services submitted the lowest bid for the SW-548 project. Colasanti beat out 5 other bidders for the project with a low bid of $49,680,368.

Colasanti------ $ 49,680,368
DeMaria------ $ 51,000,000
Walsh -------- $ 51,234,087
Walbridge ---- $ 51,397,000
Lakeshore ---- $ 52,835,824
Weiss ---------$ 57,890,000

DWSD Design and Construction Contracts, List of Q2 (2009) Projects

DWSD has updated its list of Proposed Construction and Consultant Contracts for Q2 2009 here. Five of the projects listed are carryovers from DWSD's Q1 2009 List; DWSD has included six new projects, all of which are in the $5 million range.

The construction projects planned include:

• Electric Avenue Reservoir Construction and Booster Pump Station Rehabilitation (DWS-873) (R);
  
• Chemical Treatment System Modifications at the Northeast, Springwells, Lake Huron and Southwest Water Treatment Plants (DWS-867) (R);
• East Side City of Detroit Sewer Repairs Contract for Inspection of In-Place Rehabilitation of Existing Circular and Non-Circular Sewers (DWS-876) (D/B) (New);
• West Side City of Detroit Sewer Repairs Contract for Inspection of In-Place Rehabilitation of Existing Circular and Non-Circular Sewers (DWS-877) (D/B) (New);
• Lake Huron Water Treatment Plant Clearwell No. 1 Baffle Walls (LH-396) (New);
• Replacement of Existing INFI 90 Bailey Controls at Fenkell/Puritan and Hubbell/ Southfield CSO Basins (PC-761) (New);
• Complex I and II Incinerator Improvements (D/B) (PC-774) (New);
  
• Springwell Water Treatment Plant Discharge Header Pipe System Replacement (D/B) (SP-567) (R);
  
• Southwest Water Treatment Plant Sludge Treatment and Waste Washwater Treatment Facilities (SW-548) (R);
  
• Water System Improvements; Various Streets Throughout the City of Detroit (WS-648A) (New); and
  
• Parallel 42-Inch Water Main in 24 Mile Road, from Foss Road to Fairchild Road (WS-674) (R).

Upcoming (2009) Design and Construction Projects Identified by DWSD

DWSD has published its list of Proposed Construction and Consultant Contracts for Q1 2009 here. This list includes 15 projects that DWSD expects to advertise for bids between January and March, 2009. Most of the proposed contracts (9/15) are expected to be in excess of $5 million.

The construction projects planned include:

• Electric Avenue Reservoir Construction and Booster Pump Station Rehabilitation (DWS-873);
  
• Chemical Treatment System Modifications at the Northeast, Springwells, Lake Huron and Southwest Water Treatment Plants (DWS-867);
  
• Springwell Water Treatment Plant Discharge Header Pipe System Replacement (D/B) (SP-567);
  
• Southwest Water Treatment Plant Sludge Treatment and Waste Washwater Treatment Facilities (SW-548); and
• Parallel 42-Inch Water Main in 24 Mile Road, from Foss Road to Fairchild Road (WS-674).