Background

Built in the 1980’s in a residential and commercial area, the Sonic Lift Station has reached the end of its expected life and is experiencing frequent pump failures. Because of its proximity to homes and businesses, wastewater has backed up into neighboring buildings. The utility estimates that the lift station pumps fail approximately every six months, and each failure averages US$50,000 in repair costs. Additionally, the force main associated with this lift station is also nearing operational capacity, has had problems with leaks and needs to be replaced.

Description

The project consists of the following components:

• A new lift station, including a double wet-well for duplicity, three 105-horsepower, variable frequency drive (VFD) pumps; electronic controls; a backup generator; an electrical control building; and a biofilter for odor control.
  
  
• A 21-inch gravity line, extending 3,500 linear feet with 14 fourfoot diameter manholes, to reroute wastewater from the existing lift station to the new lift station.
  
  
• A 12-inch force main, extending 7,100 linear feet to connect the new lift station to the AWSD Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The new lift station will be located on the north side of town, away from existing residential and commercial development. Once the new project is implemented, the utility will be responsible for decommissioning the existing Sonic Lift Station and the existing force main will be abandoned in place.

Benefits

The new consolidated lift station will have the capacity for an average flow of 0.9 mgd, more than doubling the current average flow of 0.4 mgd and will convey nearly 90% of AWSD’s wastewater to the treatment plant. The new station will allow six other lift stations to be abandoned in the future, which will reduce energy consumption, as well as operation and maintenance costs for the utility.

The project will eliminate the risk of sewage overflows in a populated area near the existing lift station, thus preventing direct exposure to untreated wastewater, as well as the risks of water pollution and waterborne diseases.