Pinetree Pump Station Rehabilitation and SSO Elimination
This project required the rehabilitation of an existing pump station that was experiencing frequent operational failures due to system age and poor design.
During high flow events, the pump station would become inundated with sewage and the only way to avoid flooding the electrical controls was to allow the system to overflow into a nearby branch of Pepper Creek.
Pump station view from the street (low visibility)
This system would also discharge into the SSO during power failures, which often occurred during high flow events. The site was constrained by the limits of the public right of way, and two residential driveways that were in close proximity to the existing pump station.
The final design was able to eliminate the SSO by providing a backup gas generator for power during power failures.
The design utilized the existing pump dry well, which minimized site disturbance and reduced construction costs. The existing centrifugal pumps were replaced with submersible dry pit applicator pumps.
To reduce operation and maintenance costs and improve the safety of access to work areas within the underground chamber, the existing pump station access riser was removed and replaced with a larger riser, allowing for the installation of a work platform above the pump chamber. This allowed placement of the controls in a dryer, better ventilated location for maintenance workers.
Access to structures maintained. Vents and exterior structures masked with black paint to blend in.
The final design also incorporated salvaging much of the existing landscaping and the strategic placement of additional shrubs and trees to screen the new emergency generator and vent pipes from the neighbors while still allowing for the necessary access points for maintenance crews.
Project Roles
Review flow data, meetings with the Cuyahoga County Sanitary Engineer’s maintenance staff, preparation of preliminary costs estimates for various design alternatives, assisting the Mayor and Council with choosing the proposed solution, existing conditions survey, pump modeling and selection.
Backup power generation design, coordination with East Ohio Gas and the Illuminating Company for the appropriate connections and timing of transfers, improvement plans and specifications.
Approvals from the Ohio EPA, project bidding and award recommendation.
Coordination of traffic maintenance with Orange Schools and emergency responders.
Construction coordination and processing of pay applications, and as-built measurements of the finished product.
The project began in March 2000 and was completed in November 2000.