Periodic drops in pressure from the City of Detroit’s water supply coupled with isolated areas of low pressure and capacity threatened the reliability of Van Buren Township’s water system. A Water Distribution System Master Plan and hydraulic model were developed to identify areas in the system that needed improvement and guide future development. A subsequent update of the model validated the addition of water storage as an alternative to constructing large transmission mains to deliver water to vulnerable areas and helped the Township secure a Drinking Water Revolving Fund loan for improvements. The award-winning design featured five miles of new water main, a 2-million-gallon elevated storage tank and other water system improvements that addressed capacity and flow issues while reducing, or shaving, Van Buren’s peak hour rate from 16.1 to 7.2 million gallons per day.
Hydraulic modeling was critical to achieving a pressure-driven balance between five water distribution points in Detroit’s system and the storage tank that would not exceed the new peak hour rate. The water tower was sized to optimize the capacity and pressure required within height constraints imposed by a nearby airport. A new meter pit and four control valves were added to provide operational flexibility and control using the Township’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system to monitor pressure and adjust the control valve openings. Water main improvements, including an exceptionally-long directional drill under Belleville Lake, ranged from 8- to 16-inch ductile iron, 12-inch PVC and 18-inch HDPE pipe. Portions of the community were looped into the system to enhance water quality, reliability and available fire flow while sections of low or inconsistent pressure main were improved.
Put to the test during three successive Detroit water main breaks in July 2012, the new system demonstrated its true value by supplying community demand, maintaining pressure and eliminating the potential for groundwater contamination during an emergency.
Award:
ACEC-MI Engineering Merit Award, 2013
