SJRA revives $9.1M force main replacement following line failure and system studies

SJRA revives $9.1M force main replacement following line failure and system studiesThe Woodlands' largest force main project has been taken off hold after an optimization study confirmed the need to maintain existing infrastructure, with a recent failure adding urgency to the aging 24-inch line's replacement.

The Board approved a $310,364 professional services agreement with ARKK Engineers, LLC to complete the final design for the 8,100-linear-foot force main.

The project was paused in 2020 while SJRA conducted a wastewater master plan and conveyance optimization study to evaluate consolidating lift stations.

The study concluded that replacing the 50-year-old ductile iron pipe in its current configuration is the most cost-effective long-term alternative.

The line experienced a failure in 2023, prompting staff to expedite the design process and move toward an estimated $9.1 million construction phase.

The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) Board of Directors has approved a $310,364 professional services agreement with ARKK Engineers, LLC to finalize the design for the Lift Station No. 5 Force Main Replacement project in the Woodlands Division. The project involves replacing approximately 8,100 linear feet of 50-year-old, 24-inch ductile iron pipe that conveys wastewater to Wastewater Treatment Facility No. 1. Aaron Schindewolf, representing SJRA's engineering group, noted it is the largest diameter force main in the Woodlands outside of a treatment plant. Design work initially began in 2017 but was halted in July 2020 while the Authority conducted a comprehensive wastewater master plan and a conveyance optimization study. The studies evaluated whether to consolidate several aging lift stations into a single large trunk main to reduce long-term operations and maintenance costs associated with mechanical facilities. Ultimately, the optimization study concluded that maintaining the current system geometry and force main configuration was the best alternative over redirecting flows into a new trunk main. With the studies concluded, SJRA has prioritized the force main's replacement due to its age and deteriorating condition. Schindewolf stated that testing as early as 2014 revealed wall thickness degradation, and a failure on the line in 2023 has added a sense of urgency to advance the project. ARKK Engineers will now update the previously halted design to account for changed site conditions, including potential topographical shifts in floodplain areas and new improvements along the alignment, which crosses a golf course and private streets. The firm will also assist with the procurement process. Construction of the parallel replacement line is estimated to cost $9.1 million, funded through the division's Repair and Replacement Fund. Project completion is anticipated by November 2027.