Our Projects
Canonsburg Houston Joint Authority
Diane Altland has been a trusted advisor to the Canonsburg Houston Joint Authority (CHJA) providing services ranging from day-to-day consulting and planning to turn-key project design and construction management.
Project Overview
Project Name: WWTP Expansion and Upgrade
Location: Washington County, PA
Project Value: $65 million
Timeline: Phase I (Completed 2018), Phase II (Completed 2022)
This project upgraded the CHJA wastewater treatment plant to accommodate current and future growth through 2045 by expanding capacity to 8.4 MGD average daily flow and 28 MGD peak flow.
Planning
Our team, working in conjunction with the Canonsburg-Houston Joint Authority (CHJA) and its stakeholders performed a sewage planning study through which it was determined the need to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant to accommodate growth in the five communities that make up the Authority’s service area.
The Plan accounted for 25-year population projections in the 5 communities tributary to the CHJA; Canonsburg Borough, Houston Borough, Cecil Township, Chartiers Township, and North Strabane Township.
A conservative approach was taken to provide the necessary upgrades to account for the growth over a long period of time as to not burden the current user base. The upgrades to the interceptor lines, pump stations, and wastewater treatment plant were phased to allow for the current issues to be solved, to see the effects from inflow and infiltration removal projects in the five communities, and to increase capacity as the additional growth in the service area was realized.
Design and Construction
Phase I (Completed 2018)
- New raw sewage pump station collecting flow from all five communities
- Construction of headworks building with bar screens and vortex grit removal equipment
- Installation of sludge and grit pumps, screenings and grit washing equipment
- Flow directed to primary clarifiers
Phase II (Completed 2022)
- Rehabilitation of existing biotowers
- New biotower pump station to handle peak flows of 28 MGD
- Installation of two 130-foot diameter final clarifiers
- UV disinfection system for final wastewater treatment before discharge to Chartiers Creek
- Implementation of SCADA system for remote plant monitoring and control
Construction of the plant upgrades occurred in phases over a 14-year period with project costs totaling over $65M. In that time, the CHJA’s customer base doubled, and the plant capacity was increased from 4 MGD to 8.4 MGD average daily flow, with a peak flow capacity of 28 MGD. The upgrades that were designed will allow growth in the community through 2045 without the addition of extra treatment capacity.
Construction on Phase 1 of the project began in 2016, and plant optimization and construction completed in 2018. The Phase 1 upgrades included construction of a new raw sewage pump station at the treatment plant to transfer flow from the five communities to the new headworks building. The pump station is equipped with three smaller pumps and two larger pumps to handle the wet weather flows. The headworks building has three bar screens, screening and grit washer and three vortex grit removal units. Three primary clarifiers were constructed after the headworks. All new facilities were built to handle the 8.4 MGD average daily flow. In addition, there was a new electrical service added to the plant and a new emergency generator.
The Phase 2 effort was divided into two overall contracts to streamline project management and financial administration. The General Construction involved the construction of a new Bio-tower Pump Station, Clarifier Pump Station, two 130-foot diameter Secondary Clarifiers, and a UV Disinfection System and Building. The Electrical Construction involved the installation of all power and control wiring, installation of motor control centers, and configuration of SCADA system for the entire plant. The SCADA system monitors and controls all major plant processes such as influent flow, effluent flow, pump operations, UV transmittance and provide automated control and alarms.
Plant Operations and Impact
Rosewood Tower currently manages plant operations for the CHJA wastewater treatment plant. Our team is on-site daily to oversee administration, general day-to-day activities, and technical operations to ensure the plant functions at a high level.
We develop and implement Standard Operating Procedures, create work orders, and manage maintenance schedules and capital improvement plans for the plant, pump stations, and interceptor sewers. We also administer contracts for sludge handling, chemical supply, and other essential services.
Additionally, Rosewood Tower addresses all regulatory compliance matters, including correspondence with PaDEP, influent and effluent testing, and reporting requirements such as NPDES DMR and Form 43 Analysis. Our team is available 24/7 for emergencies and troubleshooting, ensuring the plant remains reliable and responsive to any issues that arise.
The upgrades to the CHJA wastewater treatment plant provide long-term benefits by supporting the continued growth of the service area through 2045. The expanded capacity and advanced systems help protect public health and the environment by maintaining high treatment standards. The modern SCADA system improves operational efficiency by allowing remote monitoring and control, ensuring the plant operates smoothly and responds quickly to changing conditions.
Project Overview
Project Name: Michigan Avenue Pump Station Replacement
Location: Washington County, PA
Project Value: $750,000
Timeline: Under Construction
- Installation of (3) 2,400 GPM pumps
- New piping and valves
- Advanced electrical and control systems
- Enhanced operational efficiency and reliability
