The recently completed City of Mechanicville Sanitary Sewer Improvements has earned a 2009 Environmental Project of the Year Award from the Capital Branch of the American Public Works (APWA).

During heavy rainfall events, the City’s interceptor sewer experienced overflows that discharged raw sewage into the ground surface, which then flowed overland to the Hudson River. The City’s aging infrastructure and cross connections between storm and sanitary collection systems contributed to an overburdened sewer system. Albany engineering firm Barton & Loguidice, P.C. (B&L) performed the initial engineering reviews and provided subsequent design and construction oversight services for improvements to the sewer system.

B&L directed manhole inspections, smoke testing, and closed circuit television inspections to identify problem spots in the system. Seven locations in the collection were identified for repairs, and sewage is now diverted into the Saratoga County Sewer District main 48-inch trunk sewer to reduce hydraulic loading on the trunk sewer.

Improvements were made at the intersection of South Street and South Central Ave, Railroad St and Broadway, and South 1st Avenue and Park Avenue. Additional sewer improvements were made at the intersection of Park Place and Spring Street; South Main Street and 2nd Avenue and Spring Street. New catch basins and storm sewer were installed along Mechanic Street to reduce inflow and infiltration to the sewer system.

Upon construction completion, the final construction cost was $807,198. The project was awarded a $600,000 grant from the Office for Community Renewal and $598,000 from the DEC Water Quality Round 9 grant to completely finance the project. B&L is now working with the City to use the remaining monies to replace one sanitary sewer pump station.

The APWA recognized Barton & Loguidice, P.C. as the designer, and Green Mountain Pipeline Services and CFI Construction as the contractors for this important infrastructure improvement project.