In our capacity as consultants for Independence Township, Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc. (HRC) conducted a Water System Capital Improvements Study to identify necessary water system improvements required to improve both water system distribution and water quality.

The Independence Township municipal water supply system consists of 11 remote well sites, constructed primarily during the 1960s and 1970s, located in three distinct water service districts.   The Township's water contains high concentrations of iron and hardness.   Like many groundwater communities in Michigan, Independence Township does not treat its water.   The well sites in the primary water service district were interconnected by 12” and 16” diameter transmission mains during the 1980s and early 1990s.   The primary water service district also has a total of 1.0 million gallons of elevated and ground storage.   Due to varying topography, two of the water service districts are further subdivided into smaller pressure districts with booster stations and/or pressure reducing valves.   The rapid growth experienced by the Township between 1990 and 2000 has begun to tax the existing water system.   Rapid growth in the existing water service areas is expected to continue to the year 2015, further exacerbating the problem.

As part of the initial Water System Capital Improvements Study, HRC prepared a representative hydraulic computer model of the primary distribution system using industry standard modeling software.

The water quality portion of the study focused on issues associated with the lack of water treatment such as red water problems resulting from iron and the potential for water contamination due to the lack of disinfection.   During the preparation of the study, the EPA promulgated a new water quality standard for Arsenic and proposed other groundwater related rules.   Based on the new Arsenic standard, Independence Township was forced to evaluate treatment alternatives for Arsenic removal including pilot and bench scale testing at several affected well sites.  

The results and recommendations prepared as part of the Water System Capital Improvements plan were utilized to prepare a Project Plan for the purpose of securing low interest loans from the Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund program (DWRF).   Approximately $17 Million of water system capital improvements were identified and included in the Project Plan.   The improvements identified include new iron and arsenic removal facilities at four existing well houses, five new well supplies, creation of several new pressure districts with booster and pressure reducing facilities, water main upgrades and extensions for looping, and metered emergency water system interconnections to an adjacent community.