The Lapel Water Works Improvements Project provided for the construction of a new 0.70 MGD water treatment plant and an onsite 200,000-gallon pre-stressed concrete clearwell. The project replaced an existing undersized facility that had served the Town well but was nearing the end of its useful life. The new plant was designed to ensure Lapel’s ability to meet future demands and to provide an additional storage volume for firefighting and other emergency uses.

The primary components of the new plant include a unitized 500-gallon-per-minute groundwater treatment plant for the removal of iron, manganese, and other mineral and gaseous impurities. The plant clearwell was constructed utilizing precast concrete walls containing an embedded steel diaphragm. The tank roof incorporated a clear-span, free-standing concrete dome. Following erection, the tank wall was placed in a state of permanent compression through the use of a horizontal wire-wound prestressing process, followed by a shotcrete and finish coating to provide the highest level of corrosion protection. The completed product is an aesthetically pleasing tank that will provide a long life and require no routine maintenance.