Making Great Water Even Better
The Holyoke Water Treatment Plant (WTP) treats raw water from the Tighe-Carmody Reservoir and the McLean Reservoir, two high quality surface water supplies that are part of the Holyoke water system. With the capacity to treat 14.8 million gallons of water per day, this water supply system serves approximately 40,000 people, or 8,000 customers. The WTP is entirely gravity fed.
A Two-Step Disinfection Process
Because the water quality from the reservoir system is of exceptional quality, Holyoke has maintained a waiver from filtration. However, new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and regulations mandated that the Holyoke Water Works (HWW) implement a two-step disinfection process by October 1, 2015. Known as the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2 Rule), the goal was to maintain optimal disinfectant concentration in the distribution system, and to minimize the formation of disinfection byproducts.
The Rise of an Ultraviolet Treatment System
To comply with the new regulations in the most cost-effective manner, we worked closely with the HWW to develop the optimum solution and deliver it on time and on budget. We assisted the HWW with the design and construction of a new $3.2 million Ultraviolet Treatment System, which included a 2,000 square-foot and two-level building addition at its water treatment plant. The upgrades use ultraviolet (UV) light to disinfect water for a variety of water borne pathogens. UV light, a form of radiation not visible to the human eye, leaves the water’s taste and odor unaffected.
This project included a new generator and electrical equipment, new UV piping and equipment, as well as other piping modifications.
A Uniqueness All Its Own
HWW is one of the few remaining unfiltered surface water treatment plants in the Massachusetts. It is one of only a handful of facilities in the state that utilizes UV disinfection, and is the only that uses UV disinfection (rather than chlorine) for the treatment of Giardia lamblia.
The addition of UV disinfection at the HWW water treatment plant is the latest step in a treatment program that spans two decades. HWW is committed to providing a high quality water supply to meet the needs of its customers, in the most cost effective manner, while complying with all drinking water standards and guidelines.
Services Snapshot
Our services included environmental engineering, permitting, and construction administration. We also provided electrical, mechanical and structural engineering services.
