Santa Rita Water Reclamation Facility

December 20, 2017

In the past weeks:

• Crews placed concrete in the: aeration basin, sidestream basin, anaerobic digester slab and wall, and the dewatering building sump.
• Crews began form work and placing the concrete foundation for the Blower and Chemical Building. The building will provide air for the aeration basin process.  In Early December, Dewberry and the City of Durango attended factory testing of the high speed turbo blowers at the Nueros factory in Plattsburgh, NY.
• Crews began hydrostatic testing of the aeration basin.  They filled the sludge zone with water, identified leaks, and commenced leak repair work. This is a normal part of the testing process.
• The sample architectural mock-up wall was installed, reviewed, and approved by the Project Architect and the City’s Architectural Review Committee. The Contractor installs this wall prior to building vertical construction to ensure the Contractor’s materials and workmanship fulfills the requirements of the specifications and the combination of materials provides the desired appearance.
• Crews worked on installation of the 24inch pipe that will go underneath the Animas River Trail (trail bypass is already in place). They found a very large boulder, which was broken up into manageable pieces and removed prior to pipe placement.
• Crews worked on BODO 2 lift station, including connecting to the existing wet well and trenching for overflow pipe.

In the coming weeks:

• Crews will continue place concrete for walls and install slide gates in the Aeration Basin.
• Crews will continue work on the Blower and Chemical Building including installing conduit.
• Crews will continue to place concrete in the walls of the sidestream basin and the anaerobic digester.
• Crews will begin placing the concrete slab of the digester support building. Crews will place the concrete slab and install the additional emergency electrical generator. Crews will place the Dewatering building slab.
• Crews will complete the installation of the 24 inch pipe near the Animas River trail.
• Crews will continue installing electrical ductwork across the site.
• Crews will continue work on the BODO 2 lift station, including the installation of the 36-inch emergency overflow pipe, the installation of the larger submersible pumps, and the installation of the pump controls.

November 6, 2017

In the past weeks:

• Crews completed the electrical switch gear vault. The vault houses the electrical switchgear equipment which directs and controls the power feeds to the water reclamation facility.  In the event of a power failure, it switches over the power feed from the utility company to the onsite generators so that there is no disruption of treatment.
• Crews completed the Anaerobic Digester slab. It has just received the application of a final waterproof coating.
• Crews have excavated for the foundation for the dewatering building.
• Crews continued forming, installing rebar, and pouring aeration basin wall sections.
• Crews pressure tested the on-site potable water line.  Pressure testing is performed to ensure the pipe is capable of operating at the system pressure without leaking.  Crews also performed high and low chlorine test and a bacteria test on the new piping.  This testing is performed to ensure the new pipe is properly disinfected and is safe for potable water uses.  The results of the bacteria testing are acceptable; the water and piping are ready for typical potable water uses (drinking, bathing, etc..).
• Crews excavated and installed a pipe from new Headworks working south to the Digester Support Building. This pipe will transmit the pumped sump water up to the headworks where it will enter the treatment process.

In the coming weeks:

• Crews will continue pouring concrete for the Aeration basin walls. Crews will continue form work on aeration basin walls and on the elevated influent channel slab.
• Crews will hydrostatic test the four sludge zone cells, that are portion of the treatment performed by the aeration basin system, to be assured they don’t leak.
• Crews will begin the form work and placing concrete on the Blower and Chemical Building foundation that provides the air for the aeration basin process.
• Crews will continue to form and place concrete on the Digester Building foundation.
• Crews will continue installing the pipeline between the dewatering building and the headworks.
• Crews will work on the sample wall, including installing stone.

 October 13, 2017

In the past weeks: 

• Crews continued forming, installing rebar, and pouring aeration basin wall sections. Walls have to be poured in relatively short segments to avoid significant cracking in the concrete.  
• Crews formed, installed rebar, and graded in the final aeration basin slab. The final slab was poured the night of Tuesday, October 10. Watch a time lapse of the pour here:

• Crews installed more potable water pipe on the eastern side of the project site including the northeast corner of the plant and the southwest corner near the tie in point.  
• Crews continued work to run a primary power feed. A new power feed is required to handle the additional electrical loads for the upgraded WRF.
• Crews continued the excavation of the anaerobic digester, along with hauling off the excavated material.
• Crews worked on the switchgear vault. The vault houses the electrical switchgear equipment which directs and controls the power feeds to the water reclamation facility.  In the event of a power failure, it switches over the power feed from the utility company to the onsite generator so that there is no disruption of treatment.

In the coming weeks: 

• Crews will continue pouring concrete for the Aeration basin walls, the Switchgear vault walls and the digester sump base.    
• Crews will continue installation aeration basin wall rebar and placing rebar for Anaerobic Digester slab. 
• Crews will continue form work on aeration basin walls and on the elevated influent channel slab.
• Crews will continue electrical work for the Switchgear Vault.

September 22, 2017



This past week, crews worked on:

• Concrete placement of the middle 1/3 of the aeration basin;
• Forming and concrete placement of aeration basin walls;
• Tying of reinforcing steel in the south 1/3 of the aeration basin;
• Excavation for the foundation of the digester and it’s support building;
• Rough-in of the Animas River Trail bypass.

September 15, 2017

 In the past weeks:

• Crews conducted their first aeration basin wall pour.    
• Crews continued rebar installation for the aeration basin walls.    

In the coming weeks:

• Continue rebar, form work, smooth dowel installation, and final grading for the middle aeration basin slab. The pour is schedule to occur next week.   
• Conduct concrete pour for two more aeration basin walls.
• Fine grade and install rebar on southern slab.
• Continue with the Digester excavation.

August 31, 2017   

In the past weeks:

• Crews continued work on the aeration basin excavation. 
• Crews placed the rock base. The rock base is utilized to level the subgrade and provide a good base for the aeration basin slab.
• Crews placed a significant amount of rebar.

Upcoming:  A concrete pour will be conducted in the early morning of Friday September 1st from approximately midnight to 8:00 a.m. During this time, there will be construction flood lights pointed into the aeration basin where the concrete is being poured and truck traffic in and out of the facility. There will be approximately 552 cubic yards of concrete pumped into the aeration basin as part of the slab.
 
In the coming weeks:

• Crews will continue the aeration basin excavation including fine grading, installation of the drain rock, and formwork.   
• Crews will place additional rebar in the middle and south aeration basin slabs, followed by two additional overnight concrete pours for the aeration basin.
• Crews continue to work on the primary power feed, potable water line installation, and other utility relocate work. 

August 24, 2017

The concrete pour is now anticipated to be completed during the same timeframe (midnight - 8 a.m.) but on a different day over the coming week.

August 10, 2017

This past week: 

• Delivery and assembly of the ~210 ft crane. 
• Continued work on Aeration Basin Excavation.  
• Completed the gas line re-location. Continued work related to electricity/power.  
• The rebar was delivered for the aeration basin. Completed the removal of demolished rebar from the Admin building.
• Continued work on the masonry portion of the sample wall. 
• Crews performed potholing for the influent line into Primary clarifier #1. Potholing is done to confirm that location of underground pipes and utilities to confirm their location prior to starting construction.    

 In the coming weeks:

• Continued delivery of loads of rebar. 
• Continue excavation work. Finalize excavation at north end of aeration basin and begin placing crushed rock and formwork.
• Demolish an old lift station and force main.  

August 4, 2017

This past week: 

• Crews completed the forcemain installation. 
• Crews started preparations for the excavation of the anaerobic digester and digester support building.
• Crews are continuing to excavate the aeration basin.
• Relocated the existing flare from the anaerobic digester. This allows the crews space to perform the excavation for the anaerobic digester and digester support building.
• The temporary bypass pumps for a lift station were delivered and set.
• The reinforcing steel that came from the administration building is being loaded and sent to the recycling center. Reinforcing steel that is to be used in the concrete of the aeration basin is being delivered and offloaded.

In coming weeks:  

• Arrival of the 200-ton crane is slated for the week of August 7th. 
• Pressure test the new force main pipes; install a temporary power line to the pumps.
• Continue excavation for the aeration basin.  This work will continue for several more weeks.
• Continue work on the sample wall including setting the concrete block sample.

July 28, 2017

This past week:

• The demolition of the Administration Building is complete.  A majority of the rubble has been removed from the site; however, there is a pile of miscellaneous steel and metal on the project site.
• Crews formed and poured an addition to the sample wall.  The sample wall is currently only board formed concrete.  When finished, the sample wall will contain installed samples of all exterior wall finishes.  
• Crews installed an additional 100 feet of force main. 
• Crews are continuing to excavate the aeration basin.

In coming weeks:

• Continue excavation for the aeration basin.  This work will continue for several more weeks.
• Crews will continue installation of the force main.
• Begin work for the excavation of the anaerobic digester.
• Coordinate submittal reviews for equipment and construction materials. 

July 21, 2017

This past week:

• Crews are finalizing the excavation of the administration building footers and sorting of the debris, separating the last of the rubble from the admin building and hauling it offsite for disposal.
• Started excavation for the aeration basin!  This will be the largest hole of the entire construction project.
• Crews formed and poured a portion of the sample wall. When finished, the sample wall will contain installed samples of all exterior wall finishes. The sample wall will be examined by the architect for workmanship and quality of materials prior to the full construction to ensure the finished buildings will have their desired appearance.   
• Crews installed an additional 100 feet of force main. 

In the coming weeks:

• Continue the excavation for the aeration basin; the excavation will take several weeks.
• Continue installation of the new force main that will carry wastewater from the southern portion of the City’s collection system along the eastern and southern portion of the site.
• Coordinate with Atmos energy for gas meter relocation. Coordinate submittal reviews for equipment and construction materials.  

July 12, 2017

This past week:

• Crews excavated the administration building footers and sorted the debris.
• Crews began installation of a new transformer and cabling for temporary power for construction.  This is needed because there is no additional power available on the current site to support the additional electrical loads needed for construction.

In the coming weeks:

• Install more of the new force main that will carry wastewater from the southern portion of the City’s collection system along the eastern and southern portion of the site.
• Finalize installation of temporary construction power. 
• Begin excavation of the aeration basins.
• Receive and setup cranes to be utilized during construction.  

 July 5, 2017

This past week:

• Have you seen? The Administration building is now rubble! 
• The City received detail on what products and procedures will be utilized to remove the existing groundwater from below the aeration basin. This will allow a dry surface for excavation and construction work.
• Crews installed a portion of below ground piping.

June 14, 2017  

This past week:

• The trickling filter has been demolished. This was part of an old process that the City no longer uses.  It will be replaced with new aeration basins.
• The “Durango Wastewater Treatment Plant” sign has been demolished. A new sign with Santa Rita Water Reclamation Facility will replace it when the project is completed!
• The City worked with an electrician to find a site for a live-cam to be installed at the construction site. Functionality is anticipated in the coming weeks! 

In the coming weeks:

• The demolition of the existing administration building is scheduled to begin next week. City staff who are working in the administration building will relocate to the old Chamber building at Santa Rita Park.
• The excavation of the aeration basins will begin after the Administration Building is removed. This will be a 250’ by 200’ by 20’ deep excavation.
• In early July, a large crane will arrive from Chicago. It is very large and will require another crane to assemble it over a week time frame. This crane will be used throughout the construction process to allow access to the whole site.