Story

The Donald K. Shine Water Treatment Plant Expansion Phase 1A was the prelude to a major expansion of the Wyoming Water Treatment Plant scheduled to start in 2006. Two new, large diesel generators were housed in a new generator building built to accommodate up to four generators. These generators are of the 2,000-kilowatt class and are provided with a bulk fuel system and remote radiators. They have the capacity to run only a portion of the plant during a power outage. Another phase of the project included replacing two high service pumps with two new 2,000 horsepower pumps, new discharge valves and associated piping. These pumps weighed over 24,000 pounds each. A third phase involved replacing three of the existing low service pumps in the low service building with larger pumps and variable frequency drives. Also, two sluice gates were rehabilitated that were located thirty-five feet below the surface of Lake Michigan and couldn’t be exposed. A final phase included a new automation system for the existing water plant filters. Many of the vales were replaced and the remainder had new actuators installed on them. The existing valves are over thirty-five years old. Valve size ranged from 6 inch to 48 inch. This project involved many challenges including specialized rigging for heavy pieces of equipment and the replacement of valves and pumps while maintaining operation of the sole source of drinking water for the City of Wyoming and its wholesale customers.