Client: Altoona Water Authority
Year Completed: 1997
Project Cost: $2,750,000
The Horseshoe Curve Watershed, of which Lake Altoona is a part, was considered under utilized for water treatment purposes. The Altoona Water Authority decided to pump water to the adjacent Mill Run water treatment plant.
Gwin, Dobson & Foreman designed a pumping station and 24″ diameter water transmission main including the following components:
- Design of 10,000 LF of 24″ diameter ductile iron pipe, meter vaults, and 100 LF of 36″ casing pipe under Conrail mainline via horizontal boring method
- Water transmission main extended from Mill Run water treatment plant to 31st Street in the City of Altoona
- New pump station with two horizontal centrifugal pumps with a capacity of 2,000 GPM and 150 HP motors
- Telemetry, instrumentation and computer control of pumping system operation
- Water system interconnection with 36″ dam intake piping, 24″ low service main and 16″/20″ high service main
This successful project allows for a capacity reduction at the Horseshoe Curve Plant that is more expensive to operate than the Mill Run Plant. Potential savings have been estimated at more than $5 million.