Wastewater Collection & Treatment

BKI was selected by the City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge to prepare a preliminary study for conceptual design of a newly proposed pump system in East Baton Rouge Parish.

The BKI team conducted an initial site survey and investigation of the proposed tunnel pump station area and vicinity and used this information to plot the existing site plan. We also researched and identified existing property owners and utility locations in the vicinity of the pump station.

Before design and construction could begin, we investigated potential environmental issues that may affect construction of the pump station. We used the information gathered during the site assessment to develop possible alternate designs and site plans.

BKI was selected to be the Program Manager for the Jefferson County Sewer Capital Improvement Program. Developed in response to an EPA Consent Decree.

This $2.4 billion dollar construction program was designed to eliminate all overflows and bypasses in the county sewer system. 

The program included line and manhole rehabilitation, construction of replacement and transfer sewers, rehabilitation and construction of pump stations, tunnels up to 120 inches in diameter, and major upgrades to the county’s nine wastewater treatment plants. 

BKI was ultimately responsible to see that all construction projects were completed on time and within budget so that the stipulated penalties in the Consent Decree agreement were avoided. 

Specific tasks included administering an overall program cost tracking schedule that included cash flow projections for all active and future construction, engineering, and administrative projects; monitoring program progress for cost and schedule implementation using proven integrated software tools for budgeting, resource planning, and project controls based on detailed work breakdown structures; tracking unit price cost data along with other relevant information from other municipalities nationwide for items included in the county sewer rehabilitation specifications; developing an asset management plan for the sewer collection system; reviewing and revising the county’s technical specifications to assure that acceptable requirements were specified; administering the expansion policy continuously; providing a representative to the county’s product review committee that evaluated vendor products for inclusion in the approved list; preparing Capital Improvement Plans; and providing engineering services to manage the qualification-based selection process for consultants.

BKI  was hired by the City of Shreveport to assist in the negotiation of a consent decree (CD) with the EPA and DOJ to address the city’s Sanitary Sewer Overflows, as well as assist the city in implementation, monitoring, and reporting of many of the CD requirements. In conjunction with the CD, BKI is also performing an infiltration and inflow evaluation of its existing wastewater system, a Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Survey (SSES) and a wastewater master plan.

The wastewater system is comprised of two collection basins from a combined total of 26 sub-basins. The system consists of approximately 1,000 miles of collection lines ranging in size from 6” to 60”, 90 miles of force main, 17,500 manholes, and 126 lift/pump stations. Additionally, there are two wastewater treatment facilities.

Work includes project administration; CD negotiation assistance; population/growth/flow projections; flow and rainfall monitoring; hydraulic modeling; SSES field work and data collection; pipeline and manhole condition assessments; remedial measure plans; develop capital improvement program; management, operations & maintenance planning; organizational review, affordability analyses; Lucas WWTP process evaluation and technically based local limits study; cost of service analysis, grant funding feasibility, collection system master plan, and development of a collaborative website. BKI has also conducted field monitoring and administration of city procured contractors to conduct the actual SSES work which includes cleaning, dye flood testing, smoke testing, manhole inspection, and closed circuit TV inspection. It is estimated that the city will spend up to $25M on SSES evaluation of the collection system over the next five-eight years.

Future work includes continued monitoring and support of the SSES program, computerized maintenance management system, WWTP master plan, residuals facilities management report update, reuse facilities program, water conservation program, and other miscellaneous tasks.

BKI has managed eleven subconsultants to date. The estimated completion date is 2019.