PC Construction was recently awarded two contracts totaling $153 million to build new facilities as part of Loudoun Water’s Potomac Water Supply Program. The work includes the $127 million Trap Rock Water Treatment Facility and the supporting $26 million Raw Water Intake and Potomac River Raw Water Pumping Station. The new facilities will help support future water demands of the residents of Loudoun County in Virginia.
Construction of the $127 million Trap Rock Water Treatment Facility began in March 2014 with the installation of erosion and sediment controls to protect the surrounding environment. Once complete, the plant will utilize a two-step ozone filtration process and have water treatment capacity of 20 million gal per day (mgd) with expansion potential up to 40 mgd to support future water demands. Work includes the construction of a finished water transmission main and sanitary sewer force main. More than 100,000 cu yards of rock will be blasted and processed for onsite structural and common fill.
PC Construction will also build a 16,400-sq-ft administrative office using sustainable, low-impact development practices in pursuit of LEED Gold certification. Features of this building include energy-efficient HVAC systems, rain gardens to capture storm water, and the use of recycled materials in the construction process.
PC Construction also began site work and blasting activities for the new 40 mgd net capacity pumping station with raw water intake approximately 200 feet in the river. The new facility will utilize 36-inch encased ductile iron pipe suction lines with screen supporting high-density polyethylene compressed air and flushing water piping. PC Construction crews will construct a 200-foot long concrete tunnel as well as a 110-foot deep concrete drop shaft to reach the Potomac River.
Connected to the raw water intake, the 5,500-sq-ft pumping station will house four 900-hp vertical line shaft pumps to extract water from the river. The facility is designed to resemble a residential building and blend seamlessly with the surrounding area. Additional elements to minimize impact on the local community include sound-reducing chimneys and engineering controls designed to further dampen noise level.
PC Construction has worked closely with Loudoun Water to ensure the safety of the surrounding environment during and after the construction process is complete.
“In partnership with Loudoun Water, we are taking every precaution to ensure that any work performed adheres to federal, state and local regulations,” said Mike Franzoni, project executive of PC Construction. “It’s a top priority for us to assist in being stewards of the environment on this and every project we build.”
In addition to sustainable construction practices, Loudoun Water is taking steps to conserve the surrounding environment. Out of a 50-acre parcel of land owned by Loudoun Water, only 12 acres are to be developed for the water treatment plant. The remaining land will be conserved.
Both facilities are expected to be operational by spring 2017.
Source: PC Construction
