Client: Broad Top City Water Authority
Year Completed: 2010
Project Cost: $3,100,000
A small rural community, Broad Top City had been plagued with water problems for many years. These included severe leakage and breakage from deteriorated waterlines, inadequate hydraulic capacity due to undersized lines, insufficient fire protection, numerous dead ends, dirty water complaints, lack of water supply from existing wells and a maintenance-intensive treatment system. The Broad Top City Authority turned to Gwin, Dobson & Foreman for a permanent water system solution to these problems.
The project included the following:
- Replacement of water distribution system including 25,000 feet of 6″-8″ PVC waterline, 110 valves, 145 fittings, 32 fire hydrants and 200 water service connections. Installation of 200 water meters (remote read-type) including interior meter setting devices and exterior meter pits.
- Trough Creek well field in adjacent Wood Township included drilling, testing and development of two (2) high quality groundwater sources in the Rockwell Formation. The wells were developed in association with Casselberry & Associates, Hydrogeologists.
- Each well has a safe yield of 55 gpm or 72,500 gallons per day. Development work included installation of submersible well pumps, check valves, meters, electrical work, access roads, emergency generator and appurtenances.
- The 4″ raw water transmission for the well site to the disinfection system, consisting of 9,500 feet of ductile iron and welded steel pipe. The steel pipe is subjected to a water working pressure of 250 psi. The work included anchoring the line on a 500-feet long mountain slope.
- Renovations to the existing water treatment facility including new chlorination system,turbidity and chlorine monitoring devices, well/tank telemetry control system, mechanical piping, painting and site improvements.
- The project was funded by an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant ($1,949,047) and loan ($1,1150,953), dispersed and administered by Pennvest.
The new distribution system has eliminated leakage and breakage, provided better fire protection and hydraulic capacity and eliminated dirty water complaints. The new groundwater supply has sufficient yield and quality which has greatly reduced treatment costs. The Broad Top City Water Authority water system will meet customer needs both now and in the future.