SIMS AREA LIFT STATION AND FORCE MAIN, HOUSTON, TEXAS

OTHON designed improvements to the Sims Bayou Basin sanitary sewer system to relieve wet weather overflow through the design of a diversion structure and pump station that was equipped with odor control measures. Improvements consisted of a new 20-mgd wet weather pumping station; 11,000 lf of 30-inch force main; and 2,000 lf of 48-inch gravity sanitary sewer. OTHON’S responsibilities included analyzing alternatives and presenting them to the City of Houston and providing preliminary and final design for the lift station and force main. The force main utilized a combination of open-cut and deep micro-tunneling and featured four pipe-bridges crossing channels and requiring channel impact statements. The lift station featured odor control measures and a wet well using caisson and open-cut design. Project issues included coordination of permitting with TxDOT, EPA, and US Army Corps of Engineers; State Revolving Fund (SRF) Coordination; utility coordination; and the relocation of a sanitary sewer. OTHON also provided outreach to neighborhood residents as to how to best incorporate the facilities into the landscape.

Completion Date (Design): 1997
Total Construction Cost: $4,000,000
Owner: City of Houston