Projects:
1. VFDs
In 2023 CEW&SA contracted the Alabama Rural Water Association to conduct an energy audit of our power usage and to suggest energy saving measures. From this audit the major cost saving items identified were the pumps used at the raw water intake at Lake Martin and the distribution pumps that send finished water to our customers. Our current pumping setups use soft starts which reduce water hammer but are not the most energy efficient. It was recommended that these pumps were converted to a variable frequency drive (VFD) to allow energy effciency and give us the ability to speed up or slow down the pumps to meet our system demands. It is estimated that with the installation of the VFDs it will reduce our power consumption by as much as 35%.
The Board of Directors approved to move forward with a VFD replacement project and CEW&SA partnered with Ardurra, Inc., an engineering consulting firm, to help design and properly size the project. The project went to bid in May of 2024 and approved in July 2024. Construction is scheduled to begin January 2025 and completed by September 2025.
2. Line Replacements
Line replacement projects are scheduled to begin by the first quarter of 2025:
Cartwright Rd - Approximately 700 ft of replacement at the end of Cartwright Rd to upgrade the water main from 160 class to 250 class 3" PVC. The current water main will be abandoned from under the roadway and the new water main will be relocated to the right of way.
Island Rd, Gladys Dr, Circle Ln, Bluewater Dr and Hillcrest Dr - Approximately 2.5 miles of class 160 PVC will be upgraded to class 250 PVC and moved from under the roadway to the right of way. The Elmore County Public Works will help clear the right of way and will be repaving Gladys Dr and Circle Ln as part of their REBUILD transportation plan.
