DOWN UNDER ALUMNI HELPING KEEP PROJECT ON TRACK The following alumni have an active role in several aspects of the DigIndy project: Jeffrey A. Harrison (EE, 1989), Citizens Energy Group’s president and CEO (top administrator for the public charitable trust that acquired Indianapolis’ water and wastewater assets in 2011) The DigIndy project features diversion structures, a new surface collection sewer system, centralized drop shafts and the deep tunnel system that transports wastewater to be treated.
Jessica S. (Huggins) Bastin (CE, 2001), manager of planning and design, engineering division, Citizens Energy Group (supervising overall project design and implementation since 2015) Maceo R. Lewis (CE, 2001), Project Manager, Black & Veatch (design team member since 2009)
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Chelsie S. Donnelly (CE, 2016), Project Design Engineer, F.A. Wilhelm Construction Inc. (design team member since 2016)
while maximizing benefits for the environment,” says Bastin (CE, 2001). “This project impacts nearly every person in the city, whether they live or work here.”
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View these videos in our digital edition: www.rose-hulman.edu/DigIndy In Her Own Words: Jessica Bastin discusses why the DigIndy project was needed to improve quality of life in Indianapolis In His Own Words: Maceo Lewis talks about anticipating and reacting to problems in the massive DigIndy project In Her Own Words: Chelsie Donnelly reacts to seeing the tunnel system for the first time since concentrating on surface aspects of the project
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The project has required Citizens and contractors, including Black & Veatch and F.A. Wilhelm Construction, Inc., to work closely with city government officials, transportation and parks entities, and local citizens and neighborhood groups. Residents are starting to see construction of the surface sewers and drop shaft sites as Citizens works to correlate work with other improvement projects throughout the city, including bridge replacements, neighborhood redevelopment projects and rapid transit system projects. Maceo Lewis (CE, 2001) is a project manager for Black & Veatch’s portion of DigIndy design, including aspects of the near-surface collection sewers, deep drop shafts, and deep tunnel systems. Meanwhile, Chelsie Donnelly (CE, 2016) is a senior project engineer with F.A. Wilhelm Construction, which is building portions of the extensive near-surface collection sewers that transport flows from the existing combined sewer systems to the drop shaft sites, including the infrastructure in the vicinity of Lucas Oil Stadium. “The initial challenge was coming up with the plan. We’re consolidating about 140 overflow
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points throughout the city into a more manageable system,” says Lewis, a member of the project’s design team since 2009. “It is fascinating to see all of the technologies coming together. It may seem easy to just separate storm and wastewater sewer systems, but that’s a very disruptive and costly solution. It’s phenomenal to have something 250 feet deep that the community doesn’t even know is happening.” Donnelly started working on the project as a Citizens intern, where she supported efforts to secure funding for DigIndy through the Indiana Finance Authority State Revolving Fund loan program. After graduation, she joined Wilhelm Construction and has concentrated on development of the near-surface infrastructure. Recently, Donnelly had the opportunity to visit the deep tunnel portion of the construction project for the first time. A crane lowered her and other guests in a large cage approximately 250 feet underground to visit the deep tunnel system. “Seeing the deep rock tunnel in all its glory was an incredible experience,” she says. “This is an extremely valuable project because we want to keep our waterways clean and usable for recreation.” Bastin adds, “I went into civil engineering to make a difference. The most rewarding part of this project is seeing the impact we’re making for the environment.”