(4/10) Clarifier Approved For Water Treatment Plant

At its April 1st meeting, the Emmitsburg Town Council approved bids for numerous construction projects around Town, many of which utilizing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.

First was approval for construction of a new town water treatment plant clarifier, awarded to Conewango Enterprises in the amount of $2,329,561. A clarifier is used to remove organic compounds in the raw water, reduce water wasted, and prevent unnecessary wear on a water plant’s equipment.

The Town has received one million dollars through a state bond for the water clarifier and the remaining $2,057,477 will utilize ARPA money, Town Manager Cathy Willets said.

The Emmitsburg Water Treatment Plant does not currently have a water clarifier, according to the project bid packet. The plant has been on-line since 2003 and consists of a 432,000 gallon per day treatment plant, a 500,000-gallon steel storage tank, and a 140,000-gallon glass-lined tank.

The primary source of the Town’s raw water supply is Rainbow Lake, a 13-acre impoundment (33-million-gallons) located along Hampton Valley Road, approximately one mile west of the water treatment facility.

According to the project bid packet, the clarifier will improve raw water quality flowing into the plant, reduce damage to the plant’s equipment, and reduce the millions of gallons of reservoir water wasted through the need to backwash water through the plant to clear mud and debris.

Over the past 17 years of operation, the plant has had a consistent struggle using Rainbow Lake as the primary source of raw water supply due to the reservoir’s turbidity, algae growth and suspended solids, especially when the lake quantity is low. The high turbidity causes the roughing filters to gain differential pressure and clog, which can only be rectified through additional backwashes. This allows dirt to continue through the system due to the pressure build up and ultimately overloads the water plant and causes premature wearing of equipment.

A pilot water clarifier was installed in the system in June 2006. The results of the study indicated that a clarifier can remove 75% of the total particles and provide a 68% reduction in turbidity, which translates to significantly less fouling, less backwashing, and higher efficiency for the plant. At the time, the Town did not pursue purchasing a clarifier and wanted to see if other more cost-effective control methods could be pursued.

The Town has been told by several consultants that the clarifier is their most effective method for treating turbidity and particles in the raw water, according to the project bid.

Rainbow Damn To Be Inspected

Engineering firm Charles P. Johnson and Associates (CPJ) was approved to perform a full inspection on the Emmitsburg’s Rainbow Dam.

The project was awarded in the amount of $72,426 to perform an in-depth dam inspection report and comprehensive inspections per MDE requirements, Willets said.

Periodic inspections of the dam are required by MDE and inspections in 2022 and 2023 stated that the Town needs a professional engineer experienced in dam design to perform a complete inspection, Willets said.

There have been minor inspections of the dam over the years, but nothing in-depth has been performed in recent history, Willets said.

It was deemed imperative to perform a full inspection of all components including valves and concrete.

"Because if we had a catastrophic failure, not only would it affect our water supply, but it would also affect all the residents downstream," Mayor Frank Davis said.

In the bid proposal, CPJ estimates were very impressive and provided detailed information about the hands-on field inspections. The project will be funded by ARPA funds.

DePaul Street Waterline Replacement Contract Rebid

As a result of the closing of Delauter Construction, who originally won the contract, the Town Council has re-awarded the DePaul Street water line replacement project to civil construction company Huntzberry Brothers in the amount of $1,107,771.

The project will utilize two grants, one for $552,500 and another for $277,500. The remaining roughly $412,000 will be funded by ARPA, Willet said.

Work will include mobilization, maintenance of traffic, construction stakeout, sediment & erosion control, the replacement of approximately 2,340 feet of 8-inch ductile iron water line, replacement of fire hydrants and copper water services, restoration of asphalt pavement and concrete sidewalks, site restoration landscaping, and other related items necessary to complete the project.

Rainbow Lake Pump House Bridge To Be Replaced

With safety as the biggest concern, the Council approved the replacement of the Rainbow Lake Pump House Bridge.

The bridge itself is in bad condition and is structurally flawed, Willets said, noting, "It is no longer straight and shakes when walked upon."

Future work at the dam’s valve house will be hindered if staff and contractors are not able to cross the bridge, "let alone carry heavy items," Willets said.

The bridge replacement construction project was awarded to Plas-tech Engineering. The estimated price of the new bridge is $160,959, fully funded by ARPA. The new custom-built bridge will have a warranty of 15 years for materials and one year for workmanship. The fiberglass material components won’t rust and have a life expectancy of over 50 years, she said.

The existing bridge will be removed in small enough sections that they can be taken off site and disposed of locally by staff, Willets said.

The bridge project is presumably the beginning of a long list of items that need to be repaired and replaced at the Emmitsburg Dam, according to Willets.