Sewer SCADA System Replacement

February 6, 2025

After successfully upgrading and starting up Pump Station 10, Valley Electric moved on to Pump Station 25, located near the Mercerwood Shore Club. Unlike Pump Station 10, this site presented fewer terrain challenges, with the main difficulties coming from snow, cold temperatures, and slick roads. Despite the weather, the team worked diligently to finish panel install and wiring. Testing and commissioning of Pump Station 25 and work start at Pump Station 1 are scheduled for next week.

January 9, 2025

This week, Pump Station 22, located at 6223 N Mercer Way, will be cut over to the new SCADA system. This station posed a unique challenge due to the significant distance—nearly 500 feet—between the station and the emergency standby generator. Fortunately, Valley Electric was able to successfully pull new wiring through the nearly 60-year-old underground conduit, enabling the generator’s signals to be monitored via hardwire instead of wireless transmission, as required at other sites. The project is now 60% complete and remains on schedule for final completion by July 2025.

November 21, 2024

This week, Valley Electric successfully installed and wired the new panels and equipment at Pump Station 19, located at 7651 W Mercer Way. This station is the most challenging to access on the Island, requiring a 1/8-mile trek across a steep, grassy waterfront. Despite these difficult conditions, the team overcame the cold, wind, and rain to complete the cutover to the new SCADA system. Pump Station 19, along with other recently upgraded stations, underwent its first real-world test as the Island continues to operate without utility power. Each site successfully transitioned to emergency standby generator power and maintained continuous monitoring of station activities and alarm statuses, ensuring reliable operation during this period.

November 6, 2024

Last week, Pump Station 17 (located at 6425 77th Ave SE) was successfully upgraded to the new SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system. Pump Station 17 is the first site to feature a Remote Input/Output (RIO) panel, which establishes a wireless connection between the station and its emergency standby generator. The installation of RIO panels is part of a broader upgrade at eight sites, where either damaged conduit or challenging terrain has made it difficult to install traditional hardwired connections. The contractor expects to bring Pump Station 18 (7201 W Mercer Way) online later this week. With the upcoming holiday next week, Valley Electric will focus on revisiting Flushing Station 12 for additional work and addressing any remaining punchlist items at the stations that have already been completed.

October 17, 2024

Photos

1. All equipment is transported and installed in the City’s below-grade dry well vault.
2. Valley Electric wires in the IS and PLC panels.

This past week, Valley Electric has been busy installing panels, instruments, conduit, and wiring at PS 15, located at 4765 Forest Ave SE. Despite the challenges of working in a confined space, they are on track to have the station ready for startup and testing by the end of the week. PS 15 will be the first station to implement the new SCADA interface, marking an important milestone in the project. Next week, Valley Electric will shift their efforts to PS 16 at 5495 W Mercer Way.

September 26, 2024

Valley Electric has announced that all equipment panels for the first eight pump stations have arrived at their facility and are now being prepared for delivery. Each site will require the installation of at least four panels, including: PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) panel, Intrinsically Safe panel, Go/No-Go panel, and Horn/Beacon panel. Additionally, some generator sites will receive an RIO (Remote Input/Output) panel to enhance wireless communications. The first three stations scheduled to receive these panels, along with wiring and upgrades, are Stations 12, 15, and 16, beginning the second week of October. We anticipate that there will be no impact on the sewer collection system during construction. Most work will take place inside the stations; however, residents in the surrounding areas may notice an increase in work vehicles at the project sites.

July 2024

Material and equipment continue to arrive at QCC’s (systems integration subcontractor) warehouse. After all system control panels have been built-up by QCC, each component will undergo factory acceptance testing (FAT). FAT is a critical step in the quality assurance process that ensures all equipment performs according to specification, prior to delivery and installation. FAT will be observed by City staff along with representatives from Brown & Caldwell, QCC, and the various equipment suppliers. FAT for the first batch of station equipment is scheduled for late August.

May 22, 2024
The project team continues to track the arrival of critical panel equipment and final work plans for each of the 17 sites. City staff is also tracking the progress of remaining project permits – the Contractor’s electrical permit and the last shoreline development permit are expected shortly. Construction mobilization is still expected for September.

January 29, 2024
PW staff are currently reviewing Brown & Caldwell’s submittal of the Operator Interface Terminal (OIT) screens. These screens turn the raw data from each sewer pump station into usable information. The OIT screens will not only provide the City’s operators, technicians, and engineers full site monitoring and alarm status, but will also allow local control of station equipment. The City has also been working closely alongside Brown & Caldwell and Valley Electric to track the shipment of vital project equipment. Construction start is still forecasted for September of 2024. 

October 2023

City staff continues to work with the project’s engineering design consultant (Brown & Caldwell) to review submittals from the City’s contractor (Valley Electric). The project team recently finished reviewing and providing comments for the proposed control system equipment panels and racks at pump station 15, which is the first station where work will be performed. Due to material supply shortages, mobilization on the project is still not expected until September of 2024.

July 2023 Update

     
Image 1: PS 16 Generator
Image 2: PS 17 Generator

The project has been issued Shoreline Exemption Permits for 14 of the 17 stations. City staff continues to work to receive permit clearance for the remaining 3 sites. On February 23^rd of this year, a project kickoff meeting was held with the successful contract bidder, Valley Electric. On May 9^th, a site familiarization meeting was held to familiarize Valley Electric with the logistical and spatial challenges specific to the different work sites. Currently, and in the following months, Brown & Caldwell, in coordination with City Staff, will review and approve Valley Electric’s various product and work submittals.

April 2022 Update

In February, the City received the 90-percent plans and specifications from Brown and Caldwell, the engineering consultant. Staff reviewed these preliminary documents and provided comments back to the consultant in April. The consultant will work on finalizing these documents in the next couple of months.  The consultant will also be providing permitting assistance on this project associated with a Shoreline Exemption Permit.

November 2021 Update

Brown and Caldwell have been working on the pilot design at one of the sewer pump stations. This model will pave the way for the remaining 16 sites. Additional work is also underway to add monitoring capabilities for the emergency back-up generators.