Southeast Water Purification Plant Phase 1

This project received the Associated Builders and Contractors Certificate of Merit for Excellence in Construction. The $168.3-million project was completed two months ahead of schedule and with substantial savings to the owner.

The 80 MGD expansion to an existing 120 MGD water treatment plant to supply more water to 1.4 million customers in southeastern Houston and seven neighboring municipalities. At the time, it was the largest dollar value single public works project in the City of Houston’s history.

At the time, it was the largest dollar value single public works project in the City of Houston’s history. The project included a 96” large diameter pipeline, four 20 MGD treatment trains, including flash mixing chambers, flocculation basins, sedimentation basins, seven new filters, a backwash and air-scour system, and all associated mechanical piping. The project required over 55,000 cubic yards of concrete. We renovated the existing backwash waste pump station and constructed a new one. The existing transfer pump station was modified, and a new transfer pump station was built that included three 800-HP vertical turbine pumps. Circular concrete baffles were installed in the two existing ground storage tanks, and an additional 13.4 MG baffled ground storage tank was constructed. The existing high-service pump station (75 MGD) was upgraded with new 2,750-HP split-case centrifugal pumps and associated piping. Construction of a new chemical feed building and storage area and expanded the sludge-thickening facilities, including the construction of two new gravity thickeners and a thickened-sludge-pump station. The return-flow pump station was expanded, and an electrical/control complex was constructed.