Transforming Sewer Infrastructure for Efficiency and Savings
Project Overview
The City of Raytown’s sanitary sewer system faced significant issues with inflow and infiltration (I&I), leading to increased wastewater treatment costs. The City does not treat its wastewater but sends it to Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO) or the Little Blue Valley Sewer District (LBVSD). To tackle this problem, the City hired GBA to develop and implement a comprehensive plan aimed at reducing I&I. GBA’s approach involved identifying the ten most leaky sanitary sub-basins within the city and organizing them into a ten-year I&I reduction program.
Project Phases
This project includes multiple phases. Each year, a new sub-basin is studied through various methods, including manhole inspections, smoke testing, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and flow monitoring. The data collected from these studies is then utilized to create rehabilitation plans and specifications, which are released for bid to contractors. Once a contractor is selected, GBA provides construction phase services, including construction observation, to ensure the rehabilitation is completed correctly and to specifications.
Project Schedule and Solutions
The systematic approach of breaking the city into manageable segments ensured that comprehensive repairs were affordable and effective. This method also allowed flexibility in prioritizing specific areas based on emerging issues, ensuring that the most problematic zones received timely attention.
Challenges and Innovations
One of the significant challenges faced during the project was sifting through decades of previously collected data. The GBA team carefully evaluated this data, extracting valuable insights despite outdated practices and methods.
The innovative structuring of the project allowed Raytown to budget and plan efficiently. One of the ways in which the city is saving money and resources is by performing pre- and post-construction flow monitoring within the same season each year. Another cost-saving solution is to hold one monthly progress meeting for all of the ongoing I&I projects regardless of which phase they are in (field data collection, design, or construction phase). This way, the projects can all be discussed in the same meeting, administrative costs are reduced, and solutions are developed from a holistic viewpoint rather than in their own bubbles.
Community Impact
Upon completion, this project will result in a renewed sewer system for roughly half of Raytown, significantly benefiting the community by reducing treatment costs and improving the overall reliability of the sewer infrastructure. The project serves as a reminder of the importance of breaking large, complex tasks into smaller, manageable segments, ensuring smooth and efficient progress.
Conclusion
The City of Raytown I&I Reduction Program demonstrates the power of strategic planning and technical expertise in addressing complex infrastructure issues. GBA’s role as the lead designer and engineer has been pivotal to the project’s success, demonstrating expertise in wastewater management and commitment to improving community infrastructure.