Client: South Milwaukee Water Utility

Location: South Milwaukee, Wisconsin

With an original water treatment facility built in 1910, the South Milwaukee Water Utility desired a higher level of water quality that would meet the Utility’s drinking water needs for today and for the next generation of residents. The Utility retained Donohue to convert its existing sand filtration process to a state-of-the-art pressurized membrane system capable of treating 6 million gallons of water each day. Highlights from this project include:

• Pilot testing and installation of the first ultra-filtration pressurized membrane system in Wisconsin
• New low lift pumps
• Clean-in-place process for membrane system
• Chemical storage and feed facilities for powdered activated carbon,  citric acid, phosphoric acid, caustic, sodium hypochlorite, hydrofluosilicic acid, and polyphosphate
• Installation of curtain baffles in the plant’s north clearwell
• Installation of variable frequency drives on two high service pumps
• Plant automation
• Structural repairs to existing plant buildings

A creative design layout made extensive use of existing buildings as all new systems were placed within the confines of the existing footprint. Complex construction sequencing allowed the plant to continuously treat water while the facilities underwent a complete transformation during construction.

The project received an ACEC Wisconsin Best of State Award.