goingon



Glen Oaks Water Supply And Treatment Project Receives Award
By: Mike Stiles - Tuesday, January 15, 2019

(left to right) Aaron Davenport, principal and sr. project manager for Jones & Henry; Michelle Thibideau, GOCC water treatment operator and Larry Diekman GOCC maintenance manager (photo courtesy of Glen Oaks CC_

(CENTREVILLE) – A project at Glen Oaks Community College has received an award.

The School, along with Jones and Henry Engineers, LTD, and Frederick Construction have received the Public Works Project Of The Year, Environmental Award by the American Public Works Association, Southwestern Michigan Branch.

Supplying and treating water for the new Devier Student Suites became a challenge during construction as it was determined that the project would need to be permitted as a Type-1 community supply, rather that a Type-2 water well as designed in the original plans.

Bruce Zakrzewski, Glen Oaks Dean Of Finance and Administrative Services, say with only four months notice until students would move into the residence hall, the new design called for a two thousand foot separation from the existing campus wastewater treatment lagoon. He says that prompted the school to secure the services of Jones & Henry Engineers to help design a solution.

Zakrzewski says with the help of the College's maintenance staff, the Frederick Construction Team including Balkema Excavating; and Michelle Thibideau, Supervisor of the Centreville Department Of Public Works, the project was completed on spec and on time.

A pair of 8 inch wells were drilled. However, six weeks prior to occupancy, the sampling of the new wells revealed elevated nitrate levels. The regular design process was tossed aside, and hand drawn plans of an anion exchange nitrate removal system was presented to the Michigan Department Of Environment Quality.

Final construction of the new water system was completed and approved by the State on the day students moved in.

The award is presented each year by the organization and is judged based on innovation, public need, public impact and overcoming complicated challenges.

MORE HEADLINES

>> News Archive