Adding Plant Capacity

Crawford, Murphy & Tilly (CMT) was the prime consultant providing engineering design services for the Battery D – Aeration Tank No. 8 addition at the Metro Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago’s (MWRDGC) O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant. The tank addition consists of a 265-feet-long, 68-feet-wide, 17-feet-deep, reinforced concrete tank. With the tank addition, the mixed liquor, influent and sewage feed concrete channels were also extended. An underground service gallery was extended to facilitate the extension of the air line and other support utilities. The adjacent service road and screening berm were relocated to provide space for the new tank. More than 1500 lineal feet of 10-inch, High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plant water line was designed and directionally drilled to complete the plant water loop used for District maintenance.

Because the treatment plant borders a neighborhood park, MWRDGC deemed careful attention to providing an aesthetic and sustainable screening berm of high importance. The park is located on land leased from the MWRDGC. The park experienced poor drainage, so as part of the roadway and berm relocation, CMT provided a grading and landscaping plan that incorporated bio-swales and native type landscaping materials, which mitigate the sub-standard drainage. A portion of this work took place on the park site in cooperation with the local park district.