Groundwater Treatment System, City of East Palo Alto

EKI provided design, opinions of cost, permitting with SDWRCB Division of Drinking Water, and engineering services during construction for the Gloria Way Production Well Groundwater Treatment Project. The Project includes iron and manganese treatment, chloramination, blending with high quality SFPUC Hetch-Hetchy water to address high chloride and total dissolved solids levels, and high service pumping and surge tank. Due to site and water residuals discharge constraints, EKI piloted Pyrolusite media to confirm higher loading rates and reduced water residual volume, respectively. Complicated construction sequencing with PG&E was implemented to maintain the existing neighborhood transformer in service while constructing a new transformer to serve Gloria Way. EKI also provided permitting services and supported Project commissioning. EKI also added the well to the City’s existing hydraulic model to evaluate impact of this well on the existing distribution system and water demands.

To support the City’s groundwater projects, EKI assisted the City to secure $3 million in Prop 84 grant funding for Gloria Way Well and Pad D Well projects, and incorporated terms of two additional grants (US EPA State and Tribal Grant Program and US Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Block Grant) into the construction contract documents.

Outcome

The system included a submersible well pump, iron and manganese groundwater treatment system, chemical amendments and enclosure, Hetch-Hetchy blending system with booster pump station, a surge tank, standby diesel generator with automatic transfer switch, and various canopies for electrical and instrumentation equipment. The Project was completed in 2018. EKI has continued to support the City on multiple projects related to water system planning and design since 2014.