WACO, Texas — Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam Inc. (LAN) announced the city of Waco has selected the firm as the prime engineering consultant to replace the existing LaSalle lift station and force main that services the Waco Metropolitan Area Regional Sewer System (WMARSS), according to a press release.
WMARSS owns, operates and maintains five lift stations and associated gravity interceptors within its collection system, and the LaSalle lift station is the third largest in the system, stated the release.
The LaSalle lift station currently conveys peak flows of around 30 million gallons a day from the cities of Waco, Bellmead and Lacy Lakeview to WMARSS’ central treatment plant, reported the release.
A selection of the WMARSS system is over 40 years old, continued the release, and a recent condition assessment identified several replacements, repairs and improvements needed to avoid structural pipe failures and potential sewer system overflows.
Located along the east bank of the Brazos River above the low-water dam that forms Lake Brazos, the existing LaSalle lift station was identified as the project with highest priority, needing immediate consideration, noted the release.
“This is a critical project for the city of Waco and WMARSS,” said Tom Ray, P.E., LAN’s water resources program manager. “The existing LaSalle lift station is located in a saturated, wet soil area that is subject to sloughing. It also needs additional pumping capacity. With the proposed improvements, the city will be able serve the region for the next 30 [to] 40 years and avoid sewer overflows.”
