Tata & Howard provided engineering services for a comprehensive water distribution system evaluation and study. The work included development of a hydraulic model using WaterCad software. The plan included fire flow tests, review of the water supply agreement with the City of Worcester, preparation of projected water demands based on historical use and population trends, and evaluation of storage. The plan also included an evaluation of potential water supply sources within Town boundaries.
This project included an evaluation of the system prior to design of the tank to determine the best solution. Work included calibrating the model under extended period simulation (EPS). The hydraulic model was used to determine the best hydraulic gradeline elevation of the system to reduce the storage surplus. Additionally, the model was used to track the chlorine residual from the Worcester Pump Station to the extremities. Jar testing was completed to determine the chlorine demand in the water supply while water quality testing results assisted with determining the chlorine demand in the piping system. The model was used to simulate the chlorine degradation. Improvements were input into the hydraulic model and the effects on the chlorine residual in the extremities reported. Improvements such as an elevated tank at Maple Street with a total usable volume, reduction in hydraulic gradeline elevation, and cleaning and lining water mains were evaluated. The analysis determined that a new tank at Maple Street is necessary based on water quality and cost.
Tata & Howard provided assistance with the preparation and submittal of a Project Evaluation Form to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for the construction of a new elevated tank with a capacity of 0.2 million gallons. The new tank reduced the water age in the system by replacing the deteriorating ground level tank. Tata & Howard provided construction administration and resident observation services for the new tank, which was completed in 2016.
Whitepaper:
ABSTRACT: In 2012, the Town of Paxton, MA was experiencing significantly reduced chlorine residuals in the extremities of the system along with an aging water tank that required extensive rehabilitation. As a result, the Paxton Department of Public Works (DPW) determined the need to create an extended period simulation (EPS) hydraulic model to evaluate the water age and water quality in the distribution system. The study examined the residual chlorine concentrations and water age throughout the distribution system and presented various options to help mitigate these issues, including replacing the aging tank and adding a chlorine booster pump station at the existing site. Construction of the new tank and pump station was completed in the summer of 2016. Read the complete whitepaper by clicking below:
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The Whitin Wellfield Water Treatment Facility design consisted of a pressure filtration vessel housed within a new pre-fabricated metal building, and upgrades to the chemical feed system housed within an existing building on site. The project also included associated electrical and instrumentation, as well as site stormwater management.
The design called for replacement of the existing paved driveway, but since no new impervious pavement was added, the only stormwater runoff that required treatment was the rooftop runoff from the new building. MassDEP guidelines require treatment of runoff from metal roofed buildings within the Zone II radius of a wellfield.
The necessary treatment was achieved by discharging the roof runoff into a grass-lined channel. The grass-lined channel provided pre-treatment for a bioretention area, which consisted of a shallow excavation in which specially selected metal-resistant grasses and shrubs were planted within a specific soil to provide treatment. This treatment train provided the necessary total suspended solids removal but did not receive credit for infiltration, which was required by MassDEP. The biofiltration area was designed to collect, store, and infiltrate a 100-year storm event, so although the BMP train did not receive credit by MassDEP standards, the local Conservation Commission agreed that runoff would be infiltrated and therefore approved the design.
Tata & Howard designed and constructed the improvements to eliminate low and inadequate system pressures, construct a new source, pilot test filtration for manganese removal, design and construct required distribution system piping to connect the plant and storage tank with the system, design a new concrete storage tank, booster pump stations, and the filtration facility for manganese removal. The project was very successful and remains in great condition today.
Tata & Howard has been conducting Infiltration/Inflow (I/I) investigations for The Town of Milford, Massachusetts for the past several years within their collection system, which consists of approximately 90 miles of 4-inch diameter to 36-inch diameter gravity sewers and force main, ten pump stations and a 4.3 million gallon per day (MGD) advanced wastewater treatment facility. Throughout the investigations, I/I sources such as broken service connections, broken pipes, cracks, roots, and illegal connections have been identified. The I/I ranged from 144 gallons per day (gpd) to in excess of 400,000 gpd. Based on the results of previous I/I investigations, the Sewer Department was able to remove a direct connection from the street drainage system to the sewer system that resulted in the removal of an estimated 450,000 gpd of extraneous water from the sewer system, therefore regaining 10 percent of available capacity at the treatment facility.
As a result of conducting these I/I investigations, the Town has the ability significantly reduce the amount of extraneous water entering the collection system, as well as free up capacity at the treatment facility. The Town of Milford has also incorporated a 5:1 removal policy within the Town Bylaws, which requires Contractors/Builders to remove 5 gpd of I/I from the system for each gallon of wastewater proposed to be discharged, which minimizes repair costs for the Town and their residents.
Baldwins Pond Dam is a stone masonry and earthen embankment dam located on Harbor Brook just upstream of Westfield Road. The dam has a length of about 200 feet and a maximum height of about 17 feet. A concrete gate chamber at the right (looking downstream) end of the spillway provides controls for the 30-inch low level outlet, which discharges through the right training wall. Access to the operator is provided through a hatch in the top of the chamber. The spillway has an overflow length of 85 feet and a stepped concrete apron at the downstream toe. The upstream embankment slope and the area downstream of the apron are protected with riprap. Baldwins Pond has a surface area of 6 acres and a tributary watershed of 8.34 square miles.
The dam was rehabilitated in 1998, designed by Tata & Howard’s Waterbury, CT office.
The exposed water main ran under the bridge on Mechanic Street
Tata & Howard provided engineering consulting services to the Town of Monson, Massachusetts for the relocation of the 8-inch diameter water main on Mechanic Street.
The main was originally constructed in 1897 under the streambed; however, after 117 years in this location, the decrease in surface water elevation had exposed the water main. The water level averaged about one inch below the top of pipe, exposing the top portion of the entire section of main that crossed the brook, approximately 15 linear feet of main. Exposure of the water main made it susceptible to freezing during the winter months, which could have resulted in a break and subsequent lost water or contamination from the brook to the Town’s entire water system, potentially resulting in significant costs to residents and to repair, clean, and disinfect the system. The main provides potable water to approximately fifty residents. There were only two gate valves located at the ends of Mechanic Street. As a result, if the main were to fail at the bridge, the entire street would have to be shut down in order to repair the damage, disrupting water service for the 50 serviced residents.
The Mechanic Street Bridge has a history of failure. As a result of a major flood event in 1955, the bridge failed and was completely replaced in 1956. The bridge ran directly over the water main, which posed an additional threat to the main should the failure reoccur. Although the main was unaffected during the previous failure, its weakened condition made it more susceptible to failure in a similar event.
Tata & Howard provided funding assistance and the project qualified for and received a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant for 75% of the cost of the project. The work included the preparation of design plans and specifications for the relocation of the 8-inch water main to a self-supporting beam structure attached to the bridge abutments on Mechanic Street. The project also included bidding, permitting, construction administration, and resident observation.
Tata & Howard provided the design of a 1.44 million gallon per day (mgd) water treatment plant to treat water from the Whitinsville Water Company’s Whitin Wellfield. The existing facilities consisted of a chemical injection facility and pump station, and historical high levels of iron and manganese led to water discoloration issues in the distribution system.
The new treatment facility for the Whitin Wellfield utilizes chlorine oxidation and GreensandPlus™ media filtration to remove iron and manganese from the raw water to concentrations below Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels. The installation of 16-inch pipe between the existing facility and the water treatment facility is utilized in combination with filtration to provide contact time to achieve log removal of Giardia Lamblia (Giardia), Cryptosporidium, and viruses, if it becomes necessary in the future.
The treatment plant components include a three cell horizontal pressure filter vessel, a backwash water tank, and backwash pumping systems. The design also included a dehumidification system and the installation of crushed stone below the filter vessel and spent backwash tank. This allows for water to infiltrate into the ground and prevent puddling on the concrete floor in the event that condensation does occur on the equipment.
THE CHALLENGE: Skilton Road Bridge was originally built in 1865 as a one lane, dry stone masonry arch bridge over the Skilton Gorge in Watertown, Connecticut. Rehabilitation in 1988 included strengthening of the stone masonry with reinforced concrete, and adding concrete guide rails to the bridge. On December 10, 1991, Skilton Road Bridge was added to the National List of Historic Places, and in 2013, the bridge was found to be structurally deficient.
Before rehabilitation
THE SOLUTION: Tata & Howard’s design for the rehabilitation and repair of the bridge required careful consideration of the historical nature of the structure. The design was approved and construction took place in 2015. All structural deficiencies were addressed and the project included the following:
Removed existing guide rails
Installed prestressed concrete beams across the top of the existing bridge
Widened the bridge for two 9’ travel lanes and a sidewalk
Installed new aluminum bridge rails covered with wood
Repaired the stone masonry on the west abutment wall
Added new storm drainage
After rehabilitation
PROGRESS: Construction on the Skilton Road Bridge was completed in October of 2015, and a ribbon cutting ceremony was held on December 10, 2015. The bridge maintains its historic integrity.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held December 10, 2015
The Fosters Pond Dam reconstruction project presented several challenges. The existing spillway was inadequate to discharge the 100-year spillway design flood, and the existing dam was in extremely poor condition. The embankments lacked erosion protection and were very steep, the crest was narrow, and the outlet had fallen into disrepair, rendering it inoperable. Therefore, it was imperative that the reconstruction design of Fosters Pond Dam be designed to improve both safety and reliability, provide a functional and operable outlet, and provide ease of maintenance.
The reconstruction included the construction of new and higher reinforced concrete spillway training walls, upstream riprap erosion protection, a new reinforced concrete gate structure with 24″ inlet and outlet pipes and sluice gate, widened embankment crests to 12′, flattened slopes for ease of maintenance, and a gravel road to allow access to the embankment and gate structure. Riprap erosion protection is now provided on the upstream slopes as well as in the discharge channel. Because of these improvements, the dam can safely pass the 100-year spillway design flood with over a foot of freeboard. The length and level of the spillway weir remains unchanged.
Greensboro Fire District No. 1 (GFD#1), situated on the Northern portion of the Green Mountains in Vermont, requested assistance with their water distribution and treatment systems due to deficiencies identified in a sanitary survey conducted by the State of Vermont. This contract addresses these deficiencies and provides the District a more robust covered water storage tank, secure buildings that house controls and chemicals and related equipment, emergency power generation, and water metering.
As part of the project, Tata & Howard helped GFD#1 secure funding that included a 45% USDA Grant for the originally planned project with an estimated budget of $2,900,000. During the design phase, the District lost their primary well source due to an extended drought. Tata & Howard engineers worked with the District to secure a 100% USDA grant for the cost of constructing a new municipal well source and associated emergency generator and related appurtenances.
Tata & Howard provided design, construction administration, and resident observation for the water system improvements project. Construction began in the spring of 2015 with the setup of a temporary water storage system and demolition of the existing water storage tank roof structure. Precast planks and a ballasted membrane roof were then installed, providing safe, quality water. Two new small buildings were constructed to house chemicals and water well piping and controls, along with an emergency generator to provide continuous water in case of interruption to electrical power.
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Tata & Howard designed and constructed the improvements to eliminate low and inadequate system pressures, construct a new source, pilot test filtration for manganese removal, design and construct required distribution system piping to connect the plant and storage tank with the system, design a new concrete storage tank, booster pump stations, and the filtration facility for manganese removal. The project was very successful and remains in great condition today.
