Booster Pump Station Upgrades
Project Status
To help keep area residents informed of our construction progress, we will post project updates to this site on a regular basis. Click here to see status updates.
Project Details/Neighborhood
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City of Mercer Island Reservoir Booster Pump Station
Background
The City’s water distribution system is comprised of two 4-million-gallon water storage tanks, two booster pump stations (BPS), 120 miles of water mains, and 85 pressure reducing valves. The reservoir BPS utilizes five Byron Jackson submersible pumps and is responsible for supplying water service and fire flow to the largest pressure zone on the island, as well as a number of smaller pressure zones along the Island’s perimeter. Three of the pumps at the reservoir BPS were installed almost 30 years ago, while the other two were installed within the last decade. Four pumps are always operating, with the fifth pump on standby. While one of the five pumps was taken out of service in 2021 for emergency repairs, City staff discovered that the motors of the pumps contain mercury seals. Staff quickly procured engineering services to design the replacement of all five pumps, as well as evaluate hydraulic conditions within the pumped zone and analyze current and future system demands. RH2 Engineering, Inc. finalized this engineering and design in December of 2023. See https://www.mercerisland.gov/publicworks/project/reservoir-pump-station-equipment-assessment-design
Description
The Booster Pump Station Upgrades project will replace the five existing primary pumps and install two new smaller-sized jockey pumps at the City’s reservoir BPS site. While the primary intent is the safe removal and proper disposal of the existing pump’s mercury seals, upgrades to pump design and station configuration will also be performed. The pump design of the primary pumps (pumps 1-5) will change from vertical turbine to vertical split case, and two new jockey pumps (pumps 6-7) of in-line vertical centrifugal design will be added to the facility. These re-configurations will result in increased reliability and pumping efficiency of the station, especially during typical low flow conditions such as those seen during winter. In addition to the mechanical upgrades, the scope of work will include a host of associated structural, electrical, and automated control upgrades.
Project Timeline
Under Construction (April 2024– March 2025)
Estimated Budget
$1.45 M to $1.75 M
Contact
Christopher Marks, City of Mercer Island Utilities Engineer, (206) 677-1027; chris.marks@mercerisland.gov
Status Updates
August 21, 2024
Photo: The project team met at the Reservoir BPS to coordinate the pump startup and testing plan.
On August 14th City staff and RH2 Engineering met with representatives from Strider Construction and PumpTech to discuss the startup and testing plan for the new pumps. Testing will require installation of temporary pressure gauges, flow meters, and vibrational analysis equipment. Extensive planning is also required to ensure that the station remains operational throughout construction and testing. Construction start is still anticipated to occur in November of this year.
June 20, 2024
Photo: The existing pump gallery where the majority of work will take place.
Since the last update, Strider Construction Co. was quick to submit and receive approval for the pumps they propose to furnish for the project. This is an important milestone because current pump delivery timelines are six months or more. In the following months, Strider will continue submitting for work plan, material, and equipment approvals. Construction start is tentatively scheduled for November 2024.
May 9, 2024
A pre-construction meeting was held on April 25th to kick off the project. The City’s project team along with the design consultant, RH2 Engineering, and the construction contractor, Strider Construction Co., discussed key project elements such as schedule, expectations, materials availability and delivery timelines, submittals, and work plan elements. The highest priority is the approval and ordering of the seven new pumps that the project will install. Current pump manufacturer estimates indicate long lead times that may delay construction start to late 2024.
March 29, 2024
The project was advertised on January 29, 2024, and five construction bids were received and opened on February 29, 2024. The lowest responsive bid was received from Strider Construction Co. (Strider) from Bellingham, Washington. On March 19, 2024, the Mercer Island City Council awarded the project to Strider in the amount of $1,726,011.28. Strider has completed numerous water and wastewater pump station projects of similar scopes and scale for public agencies across the Pacific Northwest. The City looks forward to kicking off this project and working with the Strider team. More updates to follow.
WU0128 PROJECT LOCATION (2 MB)