Project Groundbreaking! | South Well Field Water Treatment Facility in McPherson, Kansas
Clean drinking water is essential. The McPherson Board of Public Utilities (BPU) is taking a proactive approach to ensure its residents have access to this vital resource. The BPU acted when faced with the grim reality of a declining water supply. With the help of Burns & McDonnell, the BPU is well underway to have a new and sustainable water source for the community. BPU is a special client because they will self-perform many aspects of the construction of the project. It is estimated that the project could total $32M.
Due to its industrial growth over the years, McPherson continues to be a driver of employment in the region. The growth has been a blessing in terms of economic development, but with the growth of residents comes the imminent demand for more critical resources. The Equus Beds, McPherson’s previous water source, has been declining for decades and needs help to keep up with the increased demand for water. Knowing water scarcity would inevitably fizzle future economic development, with the help of Burns & McDonnell, McPherson’s leadership vetted several water sources to determine the best long-term solution. Water rights were secured in an area south of McPherson. That area is now called the South Well Field (SWF) and is a sustainable portion of the Equus Beds Aquifer 18 miles south.
Burns & McDonnell provided engineering services for the four interconnected parts of the overall project: wells, well houses, a pipeline, and a water treatment plant. There are three wells and well houses located on the SWF property. A 20-inch 20-mile pipeline runs from the SWF into the City Limits to the new 4 MGD water treatment plant.
A groundbreaking was hosted with over 70 attendees, including Kansas Senator Rick Wilborn. “The issue of water is a critical topic for the Kansas State Legislature. Two bills were recently passed with overwhelming success and signed by the Governor,” Wilborn said. “McPherson did not wait for its water supply to become dire before it acted by spending time and resources and vetting out the perfect location.”
Special thanks to the project team (in no particular order): Jeffrey Heidrick, Brian Meier, Paul McCormick, Daniel Clement, Jennie Kessler, Matt Gallagher, Jared Baruth, Don Koci, Mehri Elengebawy, Will Powell, Brittany Maddox, Gwen Crabtree, Kevan Prinds, Jessica Jones, Amber Zubeck, Kristin Pockrandt, Alex Ferrara, Paul Garrett, Brandon Bair, Cooper Jensen, Alex Wampler, Collin Foster, Ryan Lang, and many, many others.