Canton Township Water System Demand Management & Storage Tank Implementation
Collaborative Approach Puts Community on the Fast Track, Saves Millions
The Charter Township of Canton, Michigan sought reduced water rates for its residents and asked OHM Advisors to study the economic feasibility of adding a storage tank to their delivery system. The township’s goal was to reduce the peak hour demand to negotiate a lower rate from the supplier, the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA). Our water system engineers analyzed the township’s usage and proposed multiple options to address the issue—with the township ultimately deciding to build a 2.5-million gallon (MG) tank sized for future growth. The township negotiated with GLWA to purchase a portion of its property on which to build the cost-saving ground storage tank and an 18-MGD booster station.
Our experts in water resources, architecture, landscape architecture, construction and municipal engineering created an end-result ground storage tank that fulfills the township’s goals and illustrates our passion for helping municipal clients find cost savings they can pass on to their residents. It reduces water utility costs for users and is aesthetically and environmentally harmonious with existing land uses. The overall project consists of modifications at designated meter vaults to monitor and control the flowrate from GLWA to the township, and to initiate the booster station water draw from the ground tank to supplement the distribution system.
Due to an accelerated construction schedule, the Charter Township of Canton completed the required contract demonstration period (proofing) in 2017 rather than the expected 2018, helping it achieve lowered rates a year earlier than expected. In the first year of operation, the system saved the township $3.3 million due to lower wholesale rates from GLWA. With the savings, the township completed $1.8 million of capital improvement projects in 2018 that were initially slated for 2019 and 2020. The storage tank will pay for itself by December 2021.
Project Highlights: water storage design, water system modeling, drinking water, booster station
