Central Alabama's Valley Creek: Wastewater Treatment Plant Rebuilt

摘要

When Central Alabama received an unexpected deluge in the Spring of 2005-10 inches of rain fell within a 24-hour period-it caused massive flooding and significantly raised the ground water table around the Valley Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in Bessemer, which had been com Dieted three weeks earlier. This rapid rise in the amount of ground water caused the 5-foot-thick floor of the plant to shift upward 2 Vi inches. Under this tremendous hydrostatic pressure, the walls, beams and piping structure of the massive building suffered extensive damage. The influent pump station had floated upward 2 1/2 inches cracking concrete columns and beams, along with pipe supports. The hydrostatic pressure that was exerted on the walls and floors caused 1-inch-thick steel pipes and 1 1/2-inch diameter flange bolts to pop and stretch. The pump station cracked like the spine of a book, down the length of the wall between the wet well and the dry well. The fact that the wet well and the upper wet well were full of water kept the upward movement limited to 2 1/2 inches and prevented further damage.