Challenge
With a growing population and its only water treatment plant aging past 80 years, the city of Wichita, Kansas, saw the need for a new water treatment facility that was more adaptable to its diverse water supply and was more resilient during extreme climate conditions. In particular, city officials recognized the need for a new facility capable of treating a variety of water sources, including 100% groundwater, 100% surface water or a combination of both.
The existing main water treatment plant had been partially rehabilitated and upgraded in 1992. However, despite upgrades, the original plant lacked the necessary redundancies to provide the resilience and flexibility required for a sustainable water future. Of special concern, the city’s water supply is vulnerable to drought conditions that have resulted in water restrictions for residents.
Given recent challenges with the aged existing water treatment plant, the urgency of the situation caused the planning team to move forward amid a backdrop of financial constraints, a demanding project schedule and unforeseen global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, labor shortages and inflation. Issues of particular concern related to the project were:
- System limitations: The existing facility, though partially rehabilitated, was outdated and not efficiently able to treat the diverse water supply needed to meet peak demands, especially during periods of drought or other extreme weather.
- Budgetary constraints: To minimize rate impacts on water customers, city officials had to find an efficient, cost-effective way to achieve a reliable water supply without exceeding financial means. The project team needed to prioritize cost management while taking into account durability and adaptability.
- Tight project timeline: The city secured funding through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA), which came with nonnegotiable, fast-approaching deadlines.