Western Monmouth Utilities Authority (WMUA) in Manalapan, N.J., operates more than 30 pump stations, servicing more than 79,000 customers. With stations surpassing 40 years old, it was time to make them more efficient, aesthetically appealing and safe. Five of the stations recently were overhauled using Easi-Set buildings, and plans are underway for additional locations to be renovated.
The manufacturer and installer was Easton, Pa.-based Oldcastle Precast Inc., one of Easi-Set Buildings’ licensed producers. General contractor Coppola Services Inc. of Ringwood, N.J, selected the company for the WMUA project.
The first five sites were chosen so safety issues and outdated equipment could be addressed first. Two of the sites had wet well-mounted pump stations with no buildings.
“All of the controls were in cabinets exposed to the weather, which was a safety hazard when working on them in foul weather,” said George White, collections superintendent with WMUA.
The other three stations were cinder block buildings that housed the controls for the pumps, an emergency generator and the dry well for the pumps, which was accessible by going down a ladder. The authority upgraded to submersible pumps in the old wet wells, so the former building locations had to be moved to accommodate the new technology. The new buildings now house all the controls, plus a small bathroom for employees.
Precast concrete was selected for ease and speed of installation, as well as aesthetic options. The two new wet well buildings are Easi-Set model 10-ft-by-12-ft R-10 insulated buildings, and the three dry well pump stations are Easi-Set model 12-ft-by-16-ft R-10 insulated buildings. All five buildings have a modular wooden truss roof and fiberglass shingle roof coverings installed over the precast roof system, as well as a manufactured stone veneer exterior. The upper section of the insulated precast sidewall is a simulated lapboard siding created with textured form liner material. All doors, hardware and louver dampers were installed in the buildings prior to delivery.
“The aesthetic appeal with the options available on the Easi-Set buildings is what convinced the owner to go with these particular buildings,” said David Beesley, project manager for Coppola Services. “The look of siding and cultured stone was desired to blend in with the residential neighborhoods these pump stations are located in. The precast concrete provides the owner with low maintenance and durability. For us, as the contractor, it improves scheduling by allowing for a one-day install of the precast rather than the time consumed with forming rebar, pouring concrete and cure times. This allows subsequent work such as plumbing, electrical and piping to begin immediately, which may save several weeks or more per site.”
The project is anticipated to be complete by April 2016; the fifth building was delivered in February. While Coppola Services was constructing the underground structures onsite, Oldcastle was pouring and prepping the building, cutting weeks out of the project schedule. Because each building was set onsite in one day by Oldcastle technicians, other trades could quickly move ahead with their work.
“Ease of installation is one of the many advantages to selecting an Easi-Set building,” said Moffette Tharpe, managing director of Easi-Set Worldwide. “The buildings are factory-cast and -assembled. Larger structures might require additional time to install, but a typical installation is one day—not days, not weeks. This is very appealing to general contractors and owners when it comes to scheduling and budget.”
WMUA currently has plans to renovate and upgrade another pump station, and they have again selected an Easi-Set building.
“After meeting with WMUA representatives at our Easton facility, they left impressed with the durability and strength of Easi-Set buildings, only commenting that the hardest decision for their project would be what the exterior finishes should be,” said J. David Worthington, manager of Oldcastle’s Easi-Set Buildings Division.
