Reliable backwash operations are essential to maintaining water quality and filtration performance within a water treatment facility. At the McMillan Water Treatment Plant in Washington, D.C., the existing multimedia filtration backwash system had experienced recurring operational failures that were compromising the treatment process and creating long-term reliability concerns for plant operations.
Above Group provided mechanical, electrical, and structural engineering services for the replacement and modernization of critical backwash and surface wash pumping infrastructure serving the facility’s filtration systems. Working as a subcontractor on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) project, the team developed engineering solutions designed to eliminate chronic media loss, cavitation, water hammer, and control system failures that had affected system performance for years.
The project included replacement of two surface wash water pumps and one 400 HP Patterson backwash pump, along with new piping, valves, controls, electrical infrastructure, and structural pump foundations. Because the pump room was highly congested and operational downtime needed to be minimized, Above Group carefully coordinated equipment selection and phased implementation strategies to reduce disruption to ongoing plant operations.
To improve long-term reliability, the engineering approach focused on resolving root-cause operational issues rather than simply replacing failed components. Above Group designed upgraded start/stop sequencing, improved flow control logic, modernized surge protection infrastructure, and new electrical services supporting more stable and reliable backwash operations.
Key Engineering Features
- Replacement backwash and surface wash pump systems
- New piping, valves, and surge control infrastructure
- Modernized controls and electrical systems
- Structural pump foundation upgrades
- Improved flow control and sequencing
Project Challenges
- Congested existing pump room conditions
- Chronic cavitation and water hammer issues
- Maintaining plant operations during phased replacement
- Integrating new systems into aging infrastructure
Results
- Improved filtration and backwash reliability
- Elimination of recurring hydraulic issues
- Modernized controls and electrical infrastructure
- Extended service life for critical treatment systems
- Enhanced operational resiliency for plant operations
