Received 8 Nov 2014 from Valdosta City Council Tim Carroll. -jsq

City Ahead of Schedule on Sanitary Sewer Collection System Improvement Projects

The City of Valdosta is making significant headway on two capital improvement projects that, once complete, will eliminate some sources of stormwater I&I; but more importantly, they will resolve the overwhelming majority of the sanitary sewer overflows in flood-prone areas of the city during heavy rain events—making these projects the city’s highest priority.

The $36 million Force Main Project, which is currently six months ahead of schedule from the required EPD completion date of July 2016, includes the construction of a 6.2-mile force main, four new lift stations, a new headworks structure for the future Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), and a 6-million gallon equalization basin to handle stormwater inflow and infiltration (I&I) into that facility.

In coordination with the Force Main Project, the city also has a $23 million WWTP Design Build Project underway for the construction of the new treatment plant at the Wetherington Lane site. The contract for this project, which is required by EPD to be completed by August 2017, is currently a year and five months ahead of schedule.

The pipeline work for the portion of the force main that runs near the River Park RV Park has been completed. Piping just east of the park near the Commons Apartments is nearly completed, and work on the force main piping along Georgia State Route 94 is over 25 percent completed.

At the headworks site (site of the new plant) on Wetherington Lane, Garney Construction has poured the base slab and the first level walls of the Jet Mix structure, which includes a baffle wall amounting to over 400 cubic yards of concrete. Installation of the formwork and rebar for the second level walls has also begun. The 36” raw wastewater (RWW) line from the Jet Mix to the equalization basin has been installed and encased with concrete. The water line along Wetherington Lane is approximately 85 percent complete.

Construction of the new pump stations on Gornto Road and Remer Lane are progressing according to schedule. The contractor has completed the inside first-level formwork for each of the pump stations and has started tying rebar for installation. Clearing for the pipeline behind the YMCA has also been completed, and a dewatering system has been installed.

Valdosta also has multiple other sanitary sewer collection system improvement projects underway. Smoke testing of the entire 317-mile sewer collection system—of which 120 miles have been tested to date—has been underway since 2013 and will continue through 2016 to identify and eliminate sources of stormwater I&I. To date approximately two miles of faulty sewer mains have been relined as a result of the smoke testing program. The city has also inspected approximately 50 percent of its 6,523 sewer manholes through its Replacement/Rehabilitation Program, which began in early 2011. Since then, the city has either replaced or rehabilitated over 100 manholes and has committed to rehabilitate a minimum of 30 manholes per year. In the sewer lift station upgrade/replacement program, 12 of the 20 sewer lift stations identified under this program have been upgraded or replaced since 2010 with eight remaining stations to be completed by December 2016. This year the city is purchasing the first of three emergency portable generators to be used at any sewer lift station during a power outage. The remaining two generators will be purchased by December 2016.

To continue transparency and communication with citizens regarding these improvements, project updates are posted to the city’s website. This information is conveniently assessable to citizens by clicking on the drainage pipe icon at www.valdostacity.com or by going directly to www.valdostacity.com/utilities.

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