Client: City of Fort Wayne

Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

When the City of Fort Wayne completed their Water Utility Master Plan, several important projects were identified at the Three Rivers Filtration Plant (TRFP), including a new finished-water high-service pumping station to replace the plant's original station. The project also required a major modernization of the plant's electrical system. The City of Fort Wayne retained Donohue to design the new North Pump Building and Electrical Building at its TRFP. The facility produces clean drinking water for the City's 250,000 residents and businesses.

Prior to this project, less than one-half of the 20 MG reservoir capacity could be used due to hydraulic limitations of the existing high service pumping systems. Donohue’s design significantly increased the effective capacity of finished water storage by more than doubling the usable volume of the existing reservoirs, from 8 mg to 17 mg. This 9-mg increase allowed the City to avoid construction of a much more costly additional reservoir.

The carefully planned design allowed construction and commissioning of the improvements while maintaining sufficient pressures throughout the system, keeping the facility continuously treating and distributing water.

This project received the Honor Award in the 2011 ACEC Indiana Engineering Excellence competition.