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It was more than a generation ago that Michigan's Muskegon County started supplying treated wastewater to fertilize feed corn, alfalfa, and soybeans grown in the area. It was a novel idea at the time and was a better use of treated wastewater, which traditionally had been deposited into local surface water. The idea was put into motion with the creation of the Muskegon County Wastewater Management System (MCWMS), which owns and operates a collection and treatment system that takes in sewage at different "access points" around the county. MCWMS has 17 direct customers — large industrial users and government entities — and indirectly serves 112,000 people. The final portion of the MCWMS collection network includes a large pump station and pipeline that transports wastewater 11 miles to a 42-MGD regional treatment plant. After treatment, the wastewater is applied through an irrigation system to fertilize more than 5,200 acres of cropland. The MCWMS concept was a definite winner. But the system encountered major problems because of failures in the concrete force main conveying wastewater — including effluent from a pulp/paper mill — to the regional plant. Failures occurred in 1981, 1986, 1999, and 2001. All were catastrophic except for 1986, when a leak required a scheduled line shutdown. The failures shut down industry in the county, and domestic waste spilled into the local lakes while repairs were being made. To remedy the matter, the MCWMS began design work in the fall of 1999 to replace a 3-mile portion of the 11-mile wastewater force main. The $8.8 million project was bid in February 2000 and the line completed late that year. AMERICAN 60-inch Ductile Iron pipe was selected for the project although its bid amount was $300,000 more than for an alternative material. But the price difference was mitigated by several factors, said Steve Jackson of Jackson-Merkey Contractors, Inc., in Muskegon. "AMERICAN's pipe was considerably lighter, thus making it easier to unload and move around," Jackson said. "The installation was also easier and faster because of the weight difference. And AMERICAN Ductile Iron doesn't require the joints to be cement-encased, and that's another time saver. "The ductile iron pipe allowed for more deflection per joint, which also made it faster and easier to install," Jackson said. "The ductile iron pipe is more durable, which makes handling not as big of a factor. And for us, the most difficult areas were the tie-ins at each end. AMERICAN Ductile Iron pipe and fittings provided flexibility to make the tie-ins in a timely manner and without problems. All of that resulted in cost savings." Said Jim Hegarty of the engineering firm Prein&Newhof in Grand Rapids: "The existing 66-inch pipe that the AMERICAN pipe replaced is difficult to find, and ductile iron is not available in that diameter. We studied the pipeline hydraulics and, although AMERICAN also makes 64-inch ductile iron pipe, we went with 60-inch ductile iron pipe. By doing that, there will be only minor energy (pumping) cost increases over the pipe's projected life. "We felt the ductile iron pipe design process is very conservative, and this conservatism gave the design team confidence in the pipe's reliability." MCWMS Director Tim Westman said that ductile iron pipe's reliability in this application was superior to other materials that were considered but not included for bid. "Reliability was a critical concern on this project because of the unreliable history of the pipeline it replaced," Westman said. Along with selecting a different piping material, MCWMS made changes to the pipeline route. "The old pipeline route went through questionable soil conditions and had many significant elevation and direction changes that were factors in the line failures we had experienced," Westman said. "Route selection was an important consideration for the new line. I also believe that it is noteworthy that we were able to construct, cut-in and start the new line without shutting down the old force main or losing any sewage." Another aspect of AMERICAN's performance — customer service — also contributed to the success of the new force main installation. "AMERICAN did an excellent job of delivery," Jackson said. "They worked with us almost daily to make sure that we had the right pipe and fittings on the job. Because of the large size of the pipe, space was a factor — we could have only so much pipe on site. The ductile iron pipe was sent by rail to AMERICAN's depot in Alto, Michigan, and then delivered by truck from there. This meant that they could get pipe to us within hours, if necessary." Now that the replacement pipe is in place, Hegarty expects it to perform "virtually maintenance free, for at least 50 years." "Our experience with AMERICAN convinced us we were dealing with a ‘first-class' company," Hegarty said. "This project was very important and nerve-wracking for our client, the MCWMS. In light of the previous failures of their existing pipeline it was imperative that this project go together without problems. "The most critical aspect of the project was successfully bypassing the sewage flow from the old line to the new line without spilling any sewage or shutting down any local industries. This process took tremendous cooperation among all team members — our client, MCWMS, Jackson-Merkey, AMERICAN, and our major subcontractors. "AMERICAN's pipe layout helped make this process a great success," Hegarty said. "And AMERICAN's sales engineer was especially helpful and communicative during the entire process. He even attended a number of progress meetings during construction to stay ahead of any potential issues."

Shown through a line of 60-inch AMERICAN pipe lengths, a worker prepares to cut the pipe in the field. AMERICAN pipe provided several benefits to both owner and contractor on the Muskegon County project, but the expected reliability of the pipeline was the most important. Jim Hegarty of the engineering firm of Prein&Newhof expects the line to perform "virtually maintenance free, for at least 50 years." A piece of 60-inch AMERICAN Ductile Iron pipe is lowered into the trench in Muskegon County. AMERICAN 60-inch Ductile Iron pipe was selected for the project although its bid amount was $300,000 more than for an alternative material. But the price difference was mitigated by several factors, said Steve Jackson of Jackson-Merkey Contractors, Inc., in Muskegon. "AMERICAN's pipe was considerably lighter, thus making it easier to unload and move around," Jackson said. "The installation was also easier and faster because of the weight difference. And AMERICAN Ductile Iron doesn't require the joints to be cement-encased, and that's another time saver."

Project Data

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