Lafayette, Ind. Wastewater Superintendent Brad Talley said the new Pearl River Lift station and combined sewer overflow screening facility did its job when faced with flooding along the Wabash River earlier this month, www.wlfi.com reported. City leaders gathered Jan. 28 for a dedication ceremony for the system, which replaced one that was built in 1950.
Greely & Hansen designed the system’s improvements. Ron Martin said the new lift station can handle the city's current and future needs. "The new lift station more than doubles the capacity of the existing facility for collecting and conveying wastewater to 18 million gpd," Martin said. "This has been designed to readily accommodate future capacity needs of up to 55 million gpd. The new screening facility prevents the solids and floatables in combined sewer overflows, which will also be stored in a one million gallon storage tunnel, from being released to the Wabash River. So, this is a real environmental improvement right there."
The improvements are designed to prevent the discharge of raw sewage into the Wabash River during heavy rains. The new facilities are part of Mayor Tony Roswarski’s overall citywide plan to refurbish the city's aging infrastructure, the website reported. "We have a role to play in cleaning up the environment and protecting our environment," Roswarski said.
