East Helena Water and Wastewater

Project Description

RPA has served the City of East Helena for nearly 40 years, completing numerous water and wastewater system improvement projects for the City. Professional services have included funding/financial studies, rate studies, sanitary sewer collection, wastewater facilities planning, scheduling, flow monitoring, design and construction administration, and advanced tertiary metals removal. RPA recently completed a solid waste operational analysis and rate study for the City to analyze the solid waste rates, existing revenue, existing expenditures, and to discuss potential solid waste rates for two separate alternatives. RPA has just finished the design for installation of new water distribution mains in two separate locations. In addition, RPA designed a new 1.0MG prestressed concrete water storage tank and appurtenances. Construction will include installing the New Prestressed Tank, new transmission main and bypass piping connecting to the existing transmission piping, new overflow and drain piping connecting to the existing drain piping, demolition of the existing water tanks, and other site and building improvements. 

Project Details​

Client

City of East Helena

Location

East Helena, Montana

Townsend Wastewater

Project Description

RPA has acted as Townsend’s municipal engineer over the last decade on a wide variety of wastewater, water, and street improvement projects. Most recently, construction was completed in late winter 2019 on the Townsend Wastewater System Improvements Project. The Townsend Wastewater System Improvements Project consisted of CIPP lining, a new lift station, wet well, valve vault, manhole and 15” gravity and 8” force main sewer piping, dredging sludge from Cells #1 and #4 and land applying, installation of a new Headworks and UV buildings, 12” to 15” lagoon piping, new aeration system and piping, manholes, vaults, lagoon cover for Cell #4, and a new non-potable water supply well and water service. The City had no means of disinfection prior to the project and this project was needed in order for the City to meet their current Montana Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (MPDES) Discharge Permit limits.

This was a $5.9 million project that included grant funding from the Montana Department of Commerce Treasure State Endowment Program (TSEP), the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Renewable Resources Grant and Loan Program (RRGL), and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality SRF Loan Program (Forgiveness). Grant funding made up approximately 20% of the total project cost. An SRF loan was used to finance the remainder of the project. RPA assisted with the grant applications as well as provided funding administration for this project. RPA also assisted the City in restructuring the City’s wastewater and water rates as part of this project. RPA is currently completing a Water System PER with the primary objective of increasing water storage volume.

KEY PROJECT ELEMENTS

  • Sewer Collection System Rehabilitation
  • Preliminary Engineering Report
  • Assistance with Discharge Permit

Project Details​

Client

City of Townsend

Location

Townsend, Montana

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Westside Interceptor

Project Description

The City of Kalispell, in partnership with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality – State Revolving Loan Program, developed an 8.25-mile long sewer interceptor along the west side of Kalispell. The design team examined potential alignments and design considerations for the new infrastructure. The new sewer interceptor generally followed existing city streets and rights-of-ways in the southern most segment, and then crossed BNSF railroad and US Highway 93 – Alternate (Bypass) to the west side of US Highway 93 Alternate. From here, the sewer interceptor followed existing rights-of-ways and crossed private properties to the northernmost termination near US Highway 93 North and Reserve Street. The sewer interceptor crossed both Ashley and Spring Creeks (floodplain development permits), US Highway 2 and Three Mile Drive (bore and jack casings) and included several Horizontal Directional Drills (forcemains). RPA provided professional civil engineering and land surveying services to the City of Kalispell and was the Prime Consultant for this important sewer interceptor project. Specific services provided included: Preferred Route Assessment, land and topographic surveying, right-of-way acquisition, design services, funding assistance, and construction administration.

Project Details​

Client

City of Kalispell

Location

Kalispell, Montana