Water Division News

Water Division's Annual Update in accordance with Ordinance #71683

List of Water Department Projects as of May 1, 2024

The funding for these projects has come through the Water Division's revenues

POWER & PUMPING

1. Refurbish CR Distributive pumping unit #9 - Completed FY24
   • Motor cleaning, general maintenance and upgraded instrumentation
   • Replaced pump rotating assembly and upgraded instrumentation
   • In-house and contractor – total cost $ 400K
2. Refurbish CR Distributive pumping unit #10 - Completed FY24
   • Partial motor rewind, upgraded instrumentation and general maintenance
   • Replaced pump rotating assembly and upgraded instrumentation
   • In-house and contractor – total cost $ 300K
3. Replace CR Distributive pump #2 - In Progress
   • Procured new 30 MGD pumping unit
   • Awaiting installation.
   • In-house and contractor – total estimated cost $ 1.1 M
4. Refurbish HB High Service pumping unit #16 - Completed FY24
   • Replaced motor bearings
   • Replaced pump rotating assembly and bearings
   • In-house and contractor – total cost $ 350K
5. Refurbish HB Intake well #3 - Completed FY24
   • Replaced screen machine super-structure and rotating equipment
   • Replaced 1 gate actuator
   • In-house and contractor – total cost $550K
6. SCADA upgrades for pumping units at both Plants - In-Progress
   • Installing electrical, communication, PLCs, instrumentation
   • In-house and contractor – total estimated cost $150K
7. Replace HB surge relief valves - In Progress
   • Replace 2-8” & 2-10” surge relief valves to mitigate over pressurization of pipelines exiting HB
   • Contractor - $150K
8. Repaired leak in Conduit #1 under HB levee - Completed FY24
   • Excavated levee, repaired leak in steel conduit and repaired levee
   • In-house and contactor - $500K
9. Flow meter work @ both Plants - In Progress
   • Install 4 new flowmeters in HB pipelines to monitor/measure finished water flow rate
   • Refurbish 4 flowmeters in CR Distributive Pump Station
   • In-house & Contractor – total estimated cost $ 350K

SUPPLY & PURIFYING

1. Replaced 2 lime feeders @ CR Coagulant House - Completed FY24
   • In-house and contractor – total cost $ 225K
2. Refurbished/rebuilt chlorine equipment @ both Plants - Completed FY24
   • Rebuilt all evaporators, chlorinators, etc. and general overhaul of all equipment and appurtenances
   • Replaced all chlorine hoses for transfer from cylinders.
   • In-house - total cost $ 250K
3. Refurbished 2 filters @ HB Filter Plant - Completed FY24
   • Replaced filter media and misc. filter valves.
   • In-house and contractor – total estimated cost $ 300K
4. Refurbish 1 filter @ CR Filter Plant - In-Progress
   • In-house – total estimated cost $ 100K

HB - Howard Bend Water Treatment Plant

CR - Chain of Rocks Water Treatment Plant

 

CITY OF ST. LOUIS WATER CAPITAL PROJECTS

STATUS AS OF MAY 1, 2024

1. Rehabilitation of the River intake at the Chain of Rocks Water Treatment Plant $11,000,000
   The Chain of Rocks draws water from the Mississippi River through an intake on the Western shores of the river. The intake is approximately 100 years old making its operation challenging. While some renovations have been completed additional work needs to be done. This funding would complete the renovations to the intake.
    
2. Conduit 1 Main Rehabilitation $6,000,000
   This conduit is critical to the operation of the system and is at the end of its useful life.
    
3. Hampton Ave. Water Main Replacement/Rehabilitation $5,000,000.00
   The 36” water main in Hampton Ave. has proven to be unreliable and has been taken out of service. This project would install a liner inside of the existing pipe restoring it to a useful condition. Restoring this water main will increase our distribution system resiliency in emergency situations. These large diameter water mains are utilized to move water across our distribution system. Design for this work is partly completed.
    
4. Substation/Power Distribution Upgrades at Both of the City’s Two Water Treatment Plants $6,000,000.00
   This would involve rewinding transformers, replacing switches w/ remote operators, MCC upgrades, and switchgear upgrades. The treatment plants receive electrical power at a high voltage. The electrical substations reduce the voltage so that it can be utilized by the plant’s equipment. The electrical substations are 50+ years old and its components are starting to fail. Design for this work would need to be performed.
    
5. Replacement of Pumps, Motors and Controls $15,000,000
   The raw water and finished water pumps at the City’s two water treatment plants are 50+ years old. This project would replace several of them. This can be broken down into smaller projects spreading out the total costs over time.
    
6. Small Diameter Water Main Replacements $20,000,000.00
   This funding would be used to replace a number of water mains spread throughout the City. These water mains are typically 6” or 8” in diameter providing water service to residential customers. The water mains that will be replaced are those that have been failing resulting in the interruption of service to our customers. The number of water mains replaced can be matched to the available funds.
    
7. Replace Water Mains in East Grand $1,200,000.
   The water mains in East Grand have proven to be unreliable with a number of breaks, causing service disruptions to several industrial customers. Changes to the distribution system necessitate re-configuration and replacement of these mains. Funded through ARPA by BB 143 CS (April 2024)
    
8. Vacated Lawton Place and Teachers Dr. Water Main Rehabilitation $1,500,000.00
   The 20” water main at this location is becoming increasingly unreliable. This project would install a liner inside the water main to renew it. Lining a water main restores the water main to a “new” condition without the costs and disruption of digging up an old water main and replacing it.
    
9. Condition Assessment of Transmission Conduits $4,000,000.00
   These three conduits transmit water from the Howard Bend Water Treatment Plant to the City limits. They are critical for the utility operations and their condition needs to be assessed. The Howard Bend Plant is approximately 17 miles from the city limits. These conduits are 6 feet in diameter ranging in age from 50 to 100 years old and transmit tens of millions of gallons per day. One example of a failure of these conduits caused flooding of Interstate 64 / Highway 40 and ripple effects such as water pressure issues in City neighborhoods.
    
10. Howard Bend Water Treatment Plant Electrical Relocation $2,000,000.00
    This project involves replacing a portion of the treatment plant’s electrical power feed lines which run through a failing/abandoned facility. All of the electricity powering the plant is transmitted through these lines, which makes them critical to the plant’s operations. These lines are starting to have issues and should be relocated and replaced.
     
11. Rehabilitation of a Softening Basin at the Chain of Rocks Water Treatment Plant $3,000,000
    This facility serves to soften our source water at the head of the treatment process and is a critical step in producing high quality water for our citizens. The mechanical components of this facility are in need of rehabilitation to continue reliable service.
12. Rehabilitation of the Chain of Rocks Filter Plant Underdrains $10,000,000
    The Chain of Rocks Filter Plant was once the largest rapid sand facility of its kind when it was built 110 years ago. It is in need of major rehabilitation or replacement. The failing underdrain systems are increasingly more difficult to rebuild, and a new system needs to be installed in order to restore performance.
     
13. Renovate the Two River Intake Towers at the Chain of Rocks Water Treatment Plant $15,000,000
    These two iconic structures are deteriorating and are out of service. The Chain of Rocks Water Treatment Plant draws water from the Mississippi River. Currently the treatment plant is restricted to utilizing only the shore intake on the Western bank of the river. It is desirable to get the river towers back into service to increase the resiliency of the treatment plant’s water supply in the event that the shore intake is out of service. The intake towers are located out in the river with one located in the center of the river while the second is closer to the Eastern side. The treatment plant is located just downstream of where the Missouri River flows into the Mississippi River on the Western side. Likewise, the Illinois River empties into the Mississippi River on the Eastern side just upstream of the treatment plant. The water from these two rivers has not fully mixed by the time the Mississippi River passes the water treatment plant. The result is that water quality varies across the width of the Mississippi. This is particularly important when one of the river’s water quality is compromised due to a chemical spill.
     
14. Emergency backup power at our system’s two water treatment plants. $30,000,000
    This project would install electrical generators at the two treatment plants to meet the minimum electrical needs of the plants in an emergency. The Water Division has seen an increase in interruptions of electrical service to the Water Division’s water treatment plants. In addition, the duration of electrical service outages has increased. Emergency backup power will increase the resiliency and security of the City’s water supply since water cannot be treated or pumped to our customers without electricity.