San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) owns, operates, and maintains 68 pump stations, including 55 wastewater pump stations. Under SPU’s Consent Decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, combined sewer overflows (CSOs) are a major area of concern. An increase in the frequency of CSOs could lead SPU into a prescriptive program of improvements, resulting in a large increase in operations and maintenance costs.
To avoid these unexpected and unnecessary costs, SPU hired a consultant team to evaluate all 68 sewer pump stations. As a sub to Davido Consulting Group, KJ performed a condition assessment of all 68 of its pump stations and developed a Capital Improvements Program (CIP). This program was prioritized based on a predictive failure approach, balancing the criticality of each station and potential risks to the environment and human health.
Following completion of the condition assessment, SPU hired the team to improve the ventilation system in 41 of the 55 wastewater pump stations and design a complete upgrade to the East Montlake Pump Station located off the shore of Union Bay within the East Montlake Park. The upgrade, featuring a dry-pit pump configuration, will double the capacity of the pump station reducing future CSO events to less than one per year to bring the facility within compliance of the Consent Decree.
Key Project Features:
- Condition assessment and risk-based CIP recommendations
- Mechanical evaluation of pumping, piping, and ventilation systems
- Pump performance data collection and analysis
- Criticality analysis to score and rank assets and prioritize improvement projects
- Cost estimates
Using a programmatic approach, KJ and the project team have helped SPU identify, organize, and deliver multiple projects efficiently and on schedule.
