Fall River Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvements

Upgrading Key Infrastructure While Improving Administrative Spaces

The Fall River Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) is an oxygen-activated sludge secondary treatment plant with an average monthly permitted capacity of 31 mgd and treats flows from a combined sewer system. The WWTF wet weather capacity is 106 mgd for primary treatment/disinfection and 50 mgd for secondary treatment processes.

The project consists of process upgrades to the thickening, dewatering, sludge storage, and odor control systems of the solids processing facilities. A new building was constructed as an expansion of the existing Solids Handling Building that includes personnel locker rooms, offices, a laboratory, and administrative spaces. Renovations to the existing Administration Building consist of offices, restrooms, a lunchroom, and a training/conference room. All buildings consist of architectural, structural, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and instrumentation and control upgrades or new work. The project also includes demolition, hazardous materials abatement, and/or disposal, site work, yard piping, and electrical/instrumentation distribution.

Project Highlights

• Addition and Renovation: The project includes both an out-of-the-ground addition and a gut renovation.
• BIM Services: The DOC Catalyst Group provided coordination of all trades at four different buildings on site using BIM.
• Selective Demolition: Demo of all existing process equipment and piping, miscellaneous concrete, and building demolition.
• Logistical Complexity: Maintain existing sludge disposal operations during construction through several different methods including the use of a portable sludge thickening unit.
• Self-Perform Work: Includes form, place, and finish concrete of walls and slabs. Excavate and install ductile iron and HDPE yard piping. Process mechanical equipment installation includes 2 odor control units, chemical storage tanks, bubble diffusers, and several different styles of pumps. Process pipe installation including PVC, FRP ducting, ductile iron, and stainless steel.
• Support of Excavation (SOE): The administration building renovation required underpinning.