Orillia Sanitary Sewage Pump Station.
The dewatering project in Orillia, Canada, aimed at constructing a new sewage pumping station, stood out because of its unique characteristics and the execution strategy employed.
The construction of the pumping station presented several challenges due to its location, the significant depth of excavation, the shallow water table, and the hydrogeological connection with a lake. After initial progress, the previously subcontracted dewatering methods failed, causing flooding, and risking the stability of the excavation, and ultimately leading to a year-long halt.
It was notable the need to implement additional measures to control erratic water flows (lack of predictable patterns) due to atypical heterogeneity and anisotropic behavior along the media with a strong vertical component. To overcome these obstacles, JB Enterprises Construction entrusted the assistance of HOELSCHER FERRER NORTH AMERICA, Inc. (HFNA) who, through meticulous analysis and a three-dimensional numerical model, conceptualized and implemented a tailor-made deep pumping system utilizing low-capacity wells (LCW).
The satisfactory execution of HFNA’s dewatering plan enabled the construction of the pumping station to proceed, ultimately meeting the project’s objectives. JB Enterprises’ trust in HFNA and their support played a crucial role in this project’s success.
“This project evidence once again that any theoretically based conclusion must always be tempered with experience; a project can be undertaken with confidence when the theoretical conclusions coincide with those of expert judgment and vice versa.” – A. Ferrer
