Mid-Dakota Rural Water System

Challenge

The Mid-Dakota Rural Water System treatment plant facility, which funnels water through approximately 3,800 miles of pipeline more than 14 counties, required expansion.

Solution

Mid-Dakota partnered with Bartlett & West to formulate a treatment plan. Through a Value Engineering study, the parties concluded that submerged membrane filtration was the preferred option. Submerged membrane filtration equipment was procured in March 2009 and final design was kicked off in July. A week-long design meeting that included Mid-Dakota, Bartlett & West, GE-Zenon and state officials, minimized the need to conduct re-design work during the compressed design schedule.

The plant layout allowed the use of a "siphon" design on the membrane system permeate, minimizing the need for operation of the permeate pumps and saving electrical operation cost. The water treatment plant expansion included converting five of the six existing media filter’s basins to submerged membranes and ancillary equipment, replacing four 300-hp vertical turbine pumps with 400-hp pumps, motors, and VFDs at the intake, replacing four 400-hp vertical turbine high service pumps with 500-hp pumps, motors and VFDs, replacing three vertical end suction centrifugal washwater recovery pumps with two larger pumps, motors and VFDs, and replacing two self-priming centrifugal sludge pumps with two larger self-priming centrifugal pumps, motor, and VFDs.

Value

The Mid-Dakota Rural Water System now has an expanded facility to serve their approximately 5,000 customers in 28 towns or community water systems in east-central South Dakota.