Drinking Water Resilience Improvements Project

This project aims to improve the City of Saint Paul’s drinking water system by planning, designing, buying, and installing new equipment, as well as building key parts of the system. These improvements will make the water system stronger, better able to handle natural disasters, and quicker to recover if something goes wrong. The main goals are to replace old, broken-down structures, upgrade outdated systems, and add emergency backup power to keep the water facilities running during power outages. These improvements will help the City meet its goals of keeping the water supply safe and reliable, even during emergencies or severe weather.

Key Issues Being Addressed:

The most important parts of the water system that need attention are the water control panel, seven well facilities, the water treatment plant, and the valve house. The City’s current control system was installed in 1994 and many of its parts have failed. As a result, operators now have to manually manage the system, which takes more time and effort. One major failure is the loss of the system that monitors water quality in real time. Without this, the City can’t see important information about the water supply, including salt levels. Operators have to rotate the use of wells based on a fixed schedule instead of actual conditions, which increases the risk of saltwater contamination. If saltwater gets into the wells, it could permanently damage the city’s water supply. Overall, these failures put the City at risk of long-term water quality problems.

Component 1: Backup Emergency Power for Key Water Facilities

This part of the project will install emergency backup generators at the city’s main water facilities — including the water treatment plant, the valve house, and five of the city’s seven wells. These generators will keep the water system running during power outages caused by storms, earthquakes, or other emergencies.

• Fixed generators will be installed at the treatment plant and valve house. These are heavy-duty, weatherproof units built to withstand coastal weather and earthquakes.
• Portable trailer-mounted generators will be used at five wells. These can be moved around and connected when needed. Each will have its own fuel tank and can run for 24 hours straight.
• To make this work, electrical systems at the valve house and treatment plant will be upgraded, and each well will get a manual switch and plug to easily connect a generator during an emergency.

Component 2: Upgrading the Water Control System

This part focuses on replacing the city’s outdated water control system with modern technology that allows staff to monitor and manage the system remotely and in real time.

• The current system is nearly 30 years old, unreliable, and no longer supported by the manufacturer.
• Operators now have to manually operate the system, which is time-consuming and could result in poor water quality if something goes wrong — especially with chlorine injection and water quality monitoring.
  The new control system will include modern sensors, electrical controls, and SCADA technology, which lets operators track and control the entire water system from one place.
• The controls will also be moved back to the water treatment plant, now that the City has equipment to handle snow removal, making the facility more centralized and efficient.

Component 3: Replacing Old Water Facilities and Reinforcing Critical Structures

This part of the project will replace or upgrade nine deteriorating water facilities that are either unsafe, corroded, or at risk of collapse due to age and harsh coastal weather.

• Well houses that protect pumps and equipment are falling apart from corrosion, wind, and water damage. Many are unsafe for workers and could fail during future storms or earthquakes.
• The valve house, located beneath two water tanks, is under extreme pressure from wet soil and is partially caving in. It urgently needs structural reinforcement to prevent collapse, which could damage the main water pipes.
• The water treatment facility is also in poor condition, with uneven floors, rusted equipment, and unsafe electrical connections near chemical storage areas.

To fix these issues, the City will:

• Tear down and replace these structures with modern, prefabricated, weather-resistant buildings that are easier to maintain and safer for workers.
• Use cam-lock systems that make these buildings airtight and resistant to temperature changes and corrosion.
• Add removable roofs for easier maintenance of the equipment inside, especially the well pumps.