West Terre Haute Opens New Water Treatment Plant
On Friday, July 31st, Commonwealth Engineers, Inc. (Commonwealth) was honored to take part in a recent ribbon-cutting, marking the official opening of the new water filtration treatment plant in West Terre Haute, Indiana.
The project, six years in the making, marks a historic milestone for the community by delivering clean, filtered water to the Town’s customers for the first time.
“It means cleaner, safer water,” said Town Board President Chuck Stranahan. “For years, we’ve had problems with brown water, low pressures, inconsistent pressures. So this fixes it all.”
Mr. Stranahan praised Commonwealth’s partnership in the effort, crediting Commonwealth for its work helping to secure funding for the critically needed improvements to the Town’s water infrastructure.
Commonwealth worked with the Town to secure a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development agency and an additional $3.8 million in USDA low-interest loans.
Commonwealth performed the preliminary engineering, detailed design, construction engineering, and on-site construction inspection services for the entire water utility improvements project. MSI Construction Inc., from Clinton, Indiana, was responsible for constructing the new water treatment plant as well as a new water booster pump station near Sanford Road. Dashiell Contracting Inc., from Marshall, Illinois, was responsible for constructing improvements to the Town’s existing water distribution system.
The project includes:
- New 750 GPM iron-removal package filtration treatment facility inclusive of a new block building, chemical storage and feed facilities, new laboratory facility, and two (2) new high service pumps
- Distribution system improvements
- New booster station to provide adequate pressure to outlying customers along Sanford Road
James Crowley, the West Terre Haute Water Operator, said the new plant would allow the utility to serve West Terre Haute residents better.
“It’s been a work in progress for a while but having the facility up and running allows us to provide our customers with higher quality drinking water,” Crowley said.
As part of the project, the Town also installed 40 new fire hydrants, which pleased Stranahan, a longtime member of the Town’s volunteer fire department.
“Adding the fire hydrants, the biggest thing for me is helping the firefighters. It helps the young ones coming along. They don’t have to go through the fight and wonder if the water is there. It’s going to be there forever. It’s not going to run out on them,” he said.
Stranahan noted that the water system improvements project might also play a key role in attracting new businesses to the community. Saying new business owners will benefit from a stable water system that offers them good drinking water and improved fire protection.
Among the guests at the event were State Senator Jon Ford of Terre Haute, Sam Pollack, Regional Director for U.S. Congressman Larry Bucshon, and Ryan Keller, Executive Director of the West Central Indiana Economic Development District.
