New Wastewater Treatment Plant

If you’ve traveled west on Route 30 lately, you may have seen a flurry of construction activity along the Rock River. This site is the future home of the new Rock Falls Water Reclamation Facility, scheduled to open in August 2011. Construction at this location is just a portion of a three-part, $30 million contract to replace and upgrade the city’s current water reclamation system.

All water reclamation facilities in Illinois are issued a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The permit is renewed every five years and provides the facility with specific monitoring, reporting and discharge requirements. The facility is required to sample both the influent (raw wastewater) and effluent (water that has passed completely through treatment) and report laboratory findings to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) on a monthly basis. If the lab results exceed specified parameters within the facility’s permit, the city is then subject to fines and/or legal action. Over the years the current wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) has gone through a series of upgrades to help meet the ever-changing regulations with the last major upgrade in the 1980s. Due to some of the newer pollutants added to and stricter limits imposed upon other parameters within the NPDES permit, the existing facility has been unable to reduce some of the monitored parameters to permit levels. Rather than wait for the city to be forced to comply, we took a proactive approach. In 2004, the city began to work closely with the Illinois Attorney General as well as IEPA to develop a solution for improvement. This action reduced the fines assessed by the state and greatly minimized the monetary impact on the city.

The current facility is located along the Rock River on 12th Avenue. Because the Rock Falls High School, residential houses and the Whiteside County Health Department border the rest of the plant, it was clear that an expansion at the current location was not possible. A new location must be secured for a new facility.

The engineering firm of Willett, Hofmann & Associates, Inc. were contracted to assess the city’s wastewater needs and develop the design for the new operations. Among other items, their initial report determined criteria for a new plant location: the sight must be large enough for the proposed plant as well as future expansion; the location must be removed as far as possible from residential areas to minimize the impact on residents; and the location must be along a tributary for discharge purposes. With these parameters in mind, a location was selected.

The plant design was then submitted to the IEPA for approval. Though the approval took longer than expected, good fortune was with the city as the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) was now law. The ARRA goals were to spur economic activity and create and save jobs. Rock Falls was one of the FIRST in the area to receive this financial aid. The ARRA monies covered a large portion ($20M) of the projected cost. Of that $20M, $5M was grant money and $15M qualified for 0% interest — a significant savings. The remainder of the project cost will have to be funded through other sources.

Some green technology is included in the facility design. Window and building placement allows for more light in the winter and less in the summer, cutting on cooling costs. Effluent (non-potable) water is used for landscaping and emergency needs.

Green technologies are used in the Administration Building.

The new water reclamation project is divided into three separate construction contracts. Contract One incorporated the new plant itself and the road to the plant. Contract Two includes the new main lift, the force main from the new pump station to the new facility and demolition of the existing plant. Contract Three will upgrade seven of the 10 pump stations throughout the city.

With funding in place, the construction project was put out to bid on the first two contracts. The low bid from Sjostrom & Sons, Inc. was accepted for both contracts. The third contract should be put out for bid in the summer or fall of 2010.

The new road to the plant is carved through the corn field in the fall of 2009.

April's good weather allows for concrete pouring.

The large structure visible from Route 30 is the maintenance building.

The new site was prepped for construction in late 2009 by clearing plant growth and building the new road with temporary grading. Though work continued as weather allowed through the winter, significant progress was made during the warm, dry spell of April 2010. A trip past the plant reveals buildings already in place.

What you can’t see is the progress on pipe laying. From the new facility to behind the Rock Falls High School, the main pipe is in place as of April 2010. The remainder will be installed in July 2010. This portion of pipe will travel from behind the athletic field, through private property and proceed for a short distance along Second Street to the existing plant.

In early June 2010, the main pump station work will begin. This work is all at the existing plant. Two buildings will be demolished and the new main lift constructed in its place. This lift connects to the new piping and will route the entire city’s waste water to the new plant for treatment.

Completion of contracts one and two is expected between August and September of 2012, at which time the new facility will be fully operational. The pump station project completion date shall be determined at a later date. Bidding is expected in early fall 2010.

Through comprehensive planning, we are confident that the correct design decisions were made to meet current and future wastewater needs for Rock Falls.

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603 W. 10th Street • Rock Falls, Illinois 61071 • 815.622.1100