Since 1975, B&N has worked with Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) to help develop and implement infrastructure solutions. In 2016, DWU selected B&N for the Water and Wastewater Pipeline Replacement Projects. After completing a handful of line segment designs in South Dallas, B&N was also engaged to perform a preliminary assessment and design of improvements to the Lawson Road Lift Station.
The lift station had minimal capacity and posed a concern for future economic development in the area. With the fear that the lift station would be undersized for future wet weather flows from the anticipated community growth, B&N conducted a preliminary capacity assessment to evaluate upgrade options for the existing lift station.
An Improved Lift Station
Based on the assessment, multiple concerns were identified, the main two being:
- Current Performance
- Future Capacity
During the preliminary design, it was determined that the pumping capacity could no longer deliver the original design flows, meaning the pump was not performing to its original design capacity. B&N designed three cleanout stations on the force main to facilitate pressure cleaning and restore it to the original design capacity. After cleaning, the pump capacities were retested, and test results confirmed the performance had been fully restored.
The project goal for DWU was to increase the lift station capacity for future development. To address this goal, B&N evaluated expanding the existing wet well and pumping, constructing a new pump station adjacent to the existing location or implementing a new in-line storage basin (ILSB) facility to handle peak wet weather flows. The original lift station was located within the right-of-way of a busy intersection and a major stream that limited available space to construct the new facilities. So, B&N proposed an underground peak flow storage basin at an adjacent site and a bypass chamber to divert peak flows to the ILSB, located within the right-of-way on the opposite bank of the stream.
With these improvements, the existing pumps can now manage more wet weather flows in the new storage facility. When the water level in the wet well of the lift station reaches a high level, and all pumps are running, the excess flow overflows into the underground storage basin. The gates retain the flow in the ILSB and open to return the flow to the wet well once the flow is manageable. The pumps discharge the flow through the force main into an existing sewer and treated at the wastewater treatment facility.
B&N worked with Gupta & Associates and LIM & Associates to design the lift station. Gupta provided electrical services, and LIM conducted the survey. To construct the design, B&N worked with Gracon. Through this collaboration, B&N completed the project within the timeframe allowed by the contract and without a single change order. The ILSB is currently working in manual mode due to the backorder of parts. Once those parts are received and implemented, the lift station and ILSB will be completely automated and controlled remotely using the DWU SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system or using local controls.
Economic Growth
Not only did the performance and capacity of the lift station increase, but it also supports the growth of the south Dallas community. As the City continues to grow rapidly, the southern area will now be able to support future development, additional housing and economic growth.