Two Utah construction firms that specialize in water and wastewater infrastructure projects have been hired by the Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU) to build an influent pump station (IPS) and two 48-inch force mains (pressurized pipelines) as part of the effort to replace the city’s aging water reclamation facility (WRF). Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction Co. LLC and VanCon Inc. will begin work on the projects immediately, the department said in a release. Completion is slated for early 2026.
Wadsworth was selected to construct the new influent pump station adjacent to the existing IPS located approximately one mile south of the new WRF. The current IPS will be decommissioned once the new one is ready for use. Wastewater flows to the IPS from throughout the city via four large sewer trunk lines. Able to receive around 48 million gallons of wastewater per day, the new IPS will be more efficient, resilient and reliable, the department said.
As wastewater is directed through the new IPS, large pieces of debris are removed and the water is then pumped through two new 48-inch diameter force mains to the new facility for treatment. VanCon will be installing the new pressurized pipelines.
“People don’t really think about all the infrastructure that is in place to collect and treat the water used by people, businesses and industry,” said SLCDPU Director Laura Briefer. “These critical services are essential in our daily lives. They keep our city running, our communities safe and healthy and our economy productive. These two construction projects will help ensure that we can continue to provide these services by repairing and replacing aging infrastructure and upgrading our facilities and processes to meet federal and state regulatory obligations.”
The new IPS and force mains are part of the extensive, multi-year, $800 million-plus effort to build the new water reclamation facility.