Water Capital Projects

This report includes planned water bond projects, project priorities, and anticipated schedules.

  • Project Description: The project includes constructing four new wells (20, 21, 22, and 23) within the South Wellfield and raw water mains to increase the supply capacity to Water Treatment Plant (WTP) No. 2.
  • Project Need: The current well capacity is lower than the water treatment capacity of WTP No. 2. The new wells are needed to maintain public water supply during peak demand times in the summer months now and in the future. The need for the new wells was identified in the Utility Master Plan (UMP).
  • Project Cost: $2,948,000
  • Project Funding: SRF Loan
  • Project Schedule: Construction April-November 2022

  • Project Description: The project includes the replacement of approximately 1,800 feet of water main along 4thStreet between Franklin and California Streets. The project is being done in conjunction with the City Engineering department as 4th Street is being rebuilt between Lafayette and California Streets.
  • Project Need: The UMP identified the need to implement a water main replacement program to replace pipes past the end of their useful lives and improve fire flow in various areas of the system. A water main prioritization study was also completed to identify the highest priority water main replacement projects. The 4th Street water main replacement project was identified as high priority.
  • Project Cost: $750,000
  • Project Funding: American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds
  • Project Schedule: Construction March-October 2022

  • Project Description: The project includes the replacement of approximately 1,200 feet of water main along 1stStreet between Lafayette Avenue and Washington Street and along Lafayette Avenue between 1st Street and 2nd The portion along 1st Street will coincide with the City’s 1821 Bicentennial Trail project.
  • Project Need: The 1st Street and Lafayette Avenue water main replacement was identified as high priority in the water main replacement prioritization study.
  • Project Cost: $450,000
  • Project Funding: ARP funds
  • Project Schedule: Construction March-August 2022

  • Project Description: The project includes extending a 12-inch water main near Deaver Road and 175 West farther south along 175 West to provide water service to the 9th Avenue Foods site.
  • Project Need: The 9th Avenue Foods facility will be a large water user and requires water service to the site. Typically the developer would be responsible for the extension of water to the site, but because of new main extension rules CCU will be installing the water main. With the new rules, when a developer extends a water main and donates it to CCU, we are required to pay the developer back an amount equal to 3 years worth of water revenue attributed to the new line. In this case, the revenue required to be repaid would far exceed the cost of the water main extension. While CCU does not have to repay any amount of revenue over the initial investment for the water main, it makes more sense for us to pay for the initial water main extension to avoid a main extension contract with the developer. This will also help us avoid charging subsequent connector fees if anyone else wants to connect to this line in the future.
  • Project Cost: $250,000
  • Project Funding: Partially funded through state economic development grant
  • Project Schedule: Currently under construction. Should be complete before the end of 2021.

  • Project Description: The project includes the replacement of the Deaver Road booster station, a new water storage tank near Walesboro, and water transmission main improvements.
  • Project Need: The Walesboro airport and Woodside Industrial Park areas have seen significant industrial growth which is anticipated to continue. During the summer months the booster station runs at full capacity and cannot keep up with the demand. The booster station is also nearing the end of its useful life. The industrial park is currently on two different pressure zones, and the improvements would bring the entire area onto the higher pressure zone. Instead of raising an existing tank, a new, larger tank is recommended for the area with an overflow elevation consistent with the west pressure zone.
  • Project Cost: $5,300,000
  • Project Funding: State Revolving Fund Loan
  • Project Schedule: Construction April 2022-October 2023

  • Project Description: The project includes the replacement of the Carr Hill Road booster station and a new water main crossing under I-65 at 200 South.
  • Project Need: The Carr Hill Road booster station is past the end of its useful life and is in continuous operation. A larger station is needed to keep up with current and future demands. A new water main crossing I-65 is needed to provide additional redundancy and reinforcements to the water system. The need for this project is also identified in the UMP.
  • Project Cost: $2,500,000
  • Project Funding: State Revolving Fund Loan
  • Project Schedule: October 2022-October 2023

  • Project Description: The project includes the construction of a new water storage tank in the east pressure zone.
  • Project Need: The need for additional water storage was discussed in the UMP. The water storage tanks in the east pressure zone are not currently being used because the hydraulic grade line is set by the high service pumps at WTP No. 2 and is above the overflow level of the existing tanks. The new tank would have an overflow more consistent with the current hydraulic grade line.
  • Project Cost: $5,300,000
  • Project Funding: State Revolving Fund Loan or private bond
  • Project Schedule: October 2022-October 2023

  • Project Description: The project includes the replacement of water mains as outlined in the Water Main Prioritization Program.
  • Project Need: CCU needs to implement a water main replacement program to replace aging and undersized water mains in the system. There was an amount of money budgeted in the rate increase that should cover the first 5 years of replacements. Projects outside of the 4th Street and 1st Street projects above have not been selected yet.
  • Project Cost: TBD
  • Project Funding: State Revolving Fund Loan
  • Project Schedule: June 2022-June 2026

  • Project Description: The project includes planning for a new water treatment plant to replace WTP No. 1 and WTP No. 2. It will be located near the wastewater treatment plant. The cost of the new WTP is not included in the bond, but costs associated with planning, design, and pilot testing are included.
  • Project Need: The UMP included alternatives for upgrading existing WTP No. 1 and WTP No. 2 to meet future system demands. This would have involved upgrading WTP No. 1 to its design capacity and taking WTP No. 2 out of service for upgrades. Because of increased demands in the system, this option is no longer feasible. Several alternatives were evaluated, and the selected alternative includes a new WTP with pressure filtration. With pilot testing, pressure filtration may be approved at a rate above 4 gpm/ft2. By pilot testing and obtaining a filtration rate of between 6 and 8 gpm/ft2, CCU can build a plant that operates most efficiently at flows at or below 16 mgd but has the capability to “ramp up” to 25 mgd during the intermittent periods that it would be needed.
  • Project Cost: $2,650,000
  • Project Funding: State Revolving Fund Loan
  • Project Schedule: June 2022

  • Project Description: The project includes replacing water mains along Norcross, Inwood, and South International Drive in conjunction with sewer replacement in the same area.
  • Project Need: There are highly corrosive soils in the industrial park area that have historically caused significant corrosion to our ductile iron water mains. The sections of water main to be replaced with this project have had multiple breaks in recent years, and it makes sense to replace the mains at the same time as the area is excavated for sewer construction.
  • Project Cost: TBD
  • Project Funding: Private Bond
  • Project Schedule: Late 2022 construction start.

Wastewater Bond Projects

This report includes planned wastewater bond projects, project priorities, and anticipated schedules.

  • Project Description: The Mill Race Sewer Abandonment project includes removing all flow from the 36-inch Mill Race sewer and abandoning the sewer in its entirety. The Mill Race sewer currently extends from a point south of Water Street to just north of 11th Street and collects flow from a 24-inch sewer on Brown Street, a 24-inch sewer on 8th Street, and laterals from Upland, Mill Race Park bathrooms, and a Parks Department building on Jackson Street. Flow will be routed to the 66-inch Noblitt intercepting sewer, and the existing 36-inch Mill Race sewer will be abandoned.
  • Project Need: The Mill Race Sewer is old and in poor condition. It is exposed in the river bank and has experienced multiple failures in the river resulting in treating millions of gallons of river water at the WWTP. Part of the sewer was lined with cured in place pipe (CIPP) liner, and part of that liner has failed. Because of the elevation of the sewer in relationship to the Haw Creek Headworks, the line is at risk for sewer overflows. The sewer being exposed in the riverbank puts it at high risk for failure again. Additionally, construction of the City’s Riverfront project will be easier if the Mill Race sewer does not have to be kept in service. The need for abandonment of the Mill Race sewer was identified in the Utility Master Plan (UMP).
  • Project Cost: $1,000,000
  • Project Funding: Private bond
  • Project Schedule: Construction January-June 2022

  • Project Description: The Westside Interceptor project includes the construction of over 13,000 feet of 42-inch interceptor sewer from Morgan Willow Trace to the Southside lift station, a new wet well at the Southside lift station, and demolition of the State Road 46 lift station.
  • Project Need: The State Road 46 lift station does not currently have enough capacity to pump wet weather flows. This leads to surcharging in the sewer that serves the properties along Merchant’s Mile. The State Road 46 lift station pumps through a force main that crosses under the new railroad overpass, under the East Fork White River, and discharges to a manhole near Water Street. Previously, the State Road 46 lift station pumped south along State Road 11 to the Southside lift station. This route was abandoned during the overpass project, leaving the force main under the overpass as the only active route. The lines under the overpass were unable to be located during the overpass construction, so they could not be replaced, leaving old pipes with over 30 feet of fill on top. In addition, CRH purchased the property south of the State Road 46 lift station, and there is currently no sewer infrastructure in place to serve this area. The new interceptor sewer would eliminate the State Road 46 lift station and force main and provide service to undeveloped areas between State Road 46 and 200 South. It would also provide sufficient capacity for the continued growth on the west side of the City. The need for this project was identified in the UMP.
  • Project Cost: $15,018,00
  • Project Funding: State Revolving Fund Loan
  • Project Schedule: Construction April 2022-April 2023 (pending land acquisition)

  • Project Description: The Southeast Sanitary Sewer Improvements project includes several lift station and force main upgrades in the former Eastern Bartholomew Regional Sewer District (EBRSD).
  • Project Need: The former EBRSD service area experiences significant capacity issues during wet weather. The properties in the Hamor Heights subdivision are served by septic tank effluent tank pumping systems, which are unable to pump against other lift stations in the area during wet weather. This results in several calls from homeowners any time it rains. The need for this project was identified in the UMP.
  • Project Cost: $3,501,000
  • Project Funding: State Revolving Fund Loan
  • Project Schedule: Construction February-September 2022 (pending land acquisition)

  • Project Description: This project includes replacing the biosolids conveyor system at the WWTP.
  • Project Need: The conveyor is currently the bottleneck of the solids handling process at the WWTP. As the City continues to grow and take on higher industrial loads, this will become a major issue.
  • Project Cost: $750,000
  • Project Funding: Capital budget
  • Project Schedule: Construction June-September 2022.

  • Project Description: The project includes the rehabilitation, replacement, or elimination of several lift stations, including Bakalar North, 35th Street, Gropp’s, and Sandy Hook.
  • Project Need: Several lift stations were identified in the UMP and by CCU staff as being at the end of their useful life. CCU staff reviewed lift station replacement needs and identified several lift stations that could be rehabilitated using staff in-house. The lift stations that require more extensive rehabilitation or replacement are included in this project. The Bakalar North lift station in particular is the highest priority for replacement as its concrete is in very poor condition.
  • Project Cost: $3,500,000
  • Project Funding: Private bond
  • Project Schedule: Construction April 2022-September 2023.

  • Project Description: The Woodside Industrial Park Improvements projects include sewer replacements and lift station upgrades.
  • Project Need: CCU staff observations and a study by Strand Associates identified existing sewers in the Woodside and Walesboro area that are at or near capacity. If growth is to continue in this area, several sewers need to be increased in size, and lift stations need to be upgraded. The capacity issues are worse on the west side of I-65 where there are several Strategic Growth Areas where development is likely. If the City plans to continue marketing this area for industrial growth, CCU will need to upgrade sewer infrastructure.
  • Project Cost: $6,500,000
  • Project Funding: Private bond with potential Economic Development grants
  • Project Schedule: Phase 1 construction August 2022 – March 2023

  • Project Description: The project includes extension of a gravity sewer to eliminate the Terrace Lake lift station and upgrades to the 200 South lift station.
  • Project Need: The 200 South lift station currently pumps to the Terrace Lake lift station, and both stations experience capacity issues that lead to sanitary sewer overflows. The 200 South lift station can also potentially serve nearby undeveloped areas. Capacity issues were identified in the UMP.
  • Project Cost: $1,300,000
  • Project Funding: Private bond
  • Project Schedule: Construction August 2022-March 2023

  • Project Description: The 350 West Sewer Replacement project includes upsizing a portion of the interceptor sewer tributary to the State Road 46 lift station. The sewer is located west of 350 West and north of Goeller Boulevard.
  • Project Need: This portion of sewer has been identified in an engineering review as being over capacity. Additional development is occurring and anticipated upstream of this sewer segment, so the issue will continue to get worse.
  • Project Cost: $650,000
  • Project Funding: Private bond
  • Project Schedule: August 2022-March 2023

  • Project Description: The UMP recommended increasing the annual sewer rehabilitation budget from $500,000 to $750,000.
  • Project Need: The UMP recommended starting to focus on sewer rehabilitation in the big block area of the City. The sewers in this area are the oldest, and the sewer lines that have been televised so far are in poor condition. It is important to continue the sewer lining program before the sewers deteriorate further and need to be replaced using open cut methods which are much more expensive and disruptive. The annual lining program has not been implemented the past two years because of other collection system needs.
  • Project Cost: $750,000 annually
  • Project Funding: Capital budget
  • Project Schedule: Annual. The next project is scheduled to start in early 2022.