Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District awarded MWH this contract to provide construction management at-risk (CMAR) services for the Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) Nutrient Upgrade Phase A Improvements project in Millbury, MA. Upgrades on this facility include upgrades to existing bioreactors, construction of a new magnesium hydroxide facility, installation of a new supplemental carbon system, upgrades to the electrical main service, and air pollution control improvements featuring regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) equipment.
All four bioreactors being upgraded needed to remain operational at all times between December and May, leaving a window of June through November for taking one bioreactor out of service at a time. MWH installed one of the new air pollution control units prior to demolition and sequenced the demolition work to maintain redundancy to the air pollution control system throughout the course of construction.
MWH worked with the Owner and Design Engineer through the pre-construction phase to provide input and fast track an improved construction schedule to complete one of the bioreactor upgrades prior to the first winter. This created schedule float and eased MOPO for the remaining three upgrades. This required early procurement of equipment with long lead times, so MWH worked with Owner and Engineer to complete equipment specifications and issue these contracts and deliver equipment on time. We also collaborated with the Owner and Engineer during the preconstruction phase to ensure the project would stay within budget by implementing constructability ideas. For example, the design included a geothermal heat recovery system for the new magnesium hydroxide facility. This system would have doubled the depth of excavation and required additional shoring. Therefore, MWH suggested considering alternative HVAC heat recovery means, reducing the excavation, reducing risk to surrounding structures, saving on cost of work and cost of extended overhead in the schedule.
The new chemical facility included several design elements to showcase and test sustainable design options for future projects at the plant. These items include a vegetated roof, passive lighting, heat exchanger system and solar wall heating. Permeable pavers around the building were also installed to increase stormwater infiltration. The automatic temperature controls system design will use warm air from the solar wall and recapture heat in the building to reduce heating costs in winter.
"MWH was the only proposal we received that came up with a sequence to shave a year off their schedule, and they delivered on that promise."
This $110M Construction Manager-at-Risk (CMAR) project was awarded to MWH by the North Texas Municipal Water District. It consists of four phases and requires the coordination of three separate design teams (Jacobs, Carollo, and HDR).
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MWH is continuing to work uninterrupted on the Biosolids Digester Facilities Project (BDFP). The long-term, largescale project represents a significant overhaul of the Southeast Treatment Plant, San Francisco’s largest wastewater pollution treatment plant. BDFP is set to redefine the way wastewater is treated in the city, aiming to process up to 800 million gallons per day (MGD) and serving about 80% of the city’s population. Implementing state-of-the-art technologies and innovation, the project underscores MWH’s commitment to environmental sustainability and urban rejuvenation. The revamped plant will set new standards in waste management and pollution control, marking a major milestone in San Francisco’s environmental management history.
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MWH was awarded the 2023 ENR Intermountain Award of Merit in the Water and Environment category for the Logan Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF). The award recognized the team’s hard work and dedication in completing the largest single capital improvement project for the City. Lance Ota, Project Manager, graciously accepted the award on behalf of the team.
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