Waukegan Water System Enhances Resiliency

CHALLENGE: 

The City of Waukegan’s water system, serving 88,182 residents across Waukegan and three adjacent communities, needed to evaluate and improve its operational efficiency, maintenance, and security. The system includes two raw water intakes, a raw water pumping station, a water treatment facility with a capacity of 17.7 million gallons per day (mgd), three booster stations with ground storage tanks, and approximately 340 miles of water transmission pipeline. The goal was to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards and enhance overall system resilience against potential threats and natural hazards.

SOLUTION: 

Operational Evaluation − The City of Waukegan needed a comprehensive operational evaluation of its Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and water distribution system. The scope of services included an evaluation of the current operations of the WTP and determining if the water treated at the WTP meets the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) primary drinking water standards.

In addition, HR Green conducted an inspection of each WTP unit process and the three remote booster stations to identify any maintenance, reliability, or service concerns. The HR Green team developed a response that addressed all 14 issues raised in an anonymous letter and conducted a high-level condition assessment of the WTP and distribution system.

Risk and Resilience Assessment − To enhance the resiliency of its Water Treatment System, the City of Waukegan commissioned HR Green to develop a Risk and Resilience Assessment. This assessment evaluated critical system assets against potential threats, determined vulnerability likelihood, and quantified the economic and public health impacts of asset damage. The final report identified the highest-risk areas and provided recommendations to improve the system’s resilience against malevolent acts and natural hazards.

Water Treatment Plant Capital Improvements − HR Green was engaged by the City of Waukegan for the design, IEPA permitting, and bidding phase services for Phase I Capital Improvements of the WTP. Key improvements included:

• Replacing existing 24-inch and 30-inch raw water venturi flowmeters with electromagnetic flowmeters, relocated to meet straight pipe requirements. Four butterfly valves were added for maintenance isolation.
• Installing approximately 3,300 linear feet of chlorine line within an existing 24-inch intake for zebra mussel control.
• Removing and replacing two 30-inch intake valves in Lake Michigan, including the installation of electrical equipment and conduits for valve automation. This allowed safe operation during winter months and required careful selection of components to withstand underwater conditions and high chlorine concentrations.
• Permanently isolating an abandoned harbor intake to prevent flow into the WTP during high Lake Michigan levels.
• Replacing reservoir vent covers and performing structural repairs to failing concrete at vent pedestals and access platforms. A construction sequence plan and investigation of critical valves for successful reservoir isolation were also completed.

BENEFIT:

By implementing these improvements, Waukegan’s water system experienced enhanced operational efficiency, increased reliability, and greater resilience, providing a more robust and dependable water supply for the community.