🎥 Wastewater treatment plant upgrade ‘just getting underway’

Brandon Coleman of HDR Engineering, the city’s Owner’s Representative for the wastewater treatment plant remodel.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

“We’re about three months into the project and it’s just kind of getting underway.”

Brandon Coleman, HDR Engineering, is assistant project manager for the reconstruction of the Hays wastewater treatment facility. He gave a status update to city commissioners during their Thursday night meeting.

The plant must be overhauled to meet future nitrogen and phosphorus limits as required by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Environmental Protection Agency. The Design/Build team for the $28.4 million project is Burns & McDonnell and CAS Constructors.

The most visible change at the site, 1498 E. U.S. Highway 40 Bypass, is construction activity. A new south entrance and access road have been built, a water reuse filling station relocated and there has been demolition of trickling filter and DAF equipment.

The public can watch the work via a live web camera installed by city workers on the northwest corner of the site looking to the southeast. The YouTube channel is available on the city’s website. Currently, excavation is underway for the influent pump station.

According to Coleman, the Phase 1 demolition, scheduled for July 1 to October 20, got a late start.

“They’ve switched to go to five 10-hour work days and have since made up some of those delays and actually think they’ll finish ahead of schedule,” Coleman reported.

Excavation for the influent pump station

The excavation, to be done between July 14 and October 13, is also about two weeks behind schedule but “that work is not on the critical path so it won’t affect the construction schedule overall. The contractor is aware of it and trying to watch the schedule,” he said.

Notice to proceed with the upgrade was issued May 31, 2017. The project is scheduled for completion August 29, 2019.

In other business Thursday night, commissioners approved the low bid of $27,400 by Swaraco Reflex, Mexia, Texas, for reflective glass beads to be used on runway markings at the Hays Regional Airport.

According to Airport Manager Ovid Siefers, bead reflectivity issues have resulted from a combination of an inadequate paint machine being used and lower than recommended bead application rates. On May 11th, the city commission approved the purchase of a new paint sprayer, which will address the application deficiency. The purchase of reflective glass beads will address the material deficiency.