Developing a New Pressure Plane at Super Speeds: Fort Worth Northside IV 24” Water Main

Fort Worth, one of the fastest growing cities in Texas, has recently taken aggressive steps to expand its water system to support the development. The city’s north side is its fastest growing region. But due to the extreme growth, residents in the north side have seen multiple issues with their water supply, including excessive fluctuations in pressure and water quality issues. One part of the solution includes the development of a new pressure plane. New developments have prompted the city of Fort Worth to design, build, and put into service a new pressure plane and small-scale distribution system. The new pressure plane, Northside IV, needs to be in service within 18 months to serve proposed development. This paper describes the strategies used to plan and design a new pressure plane, including approximately 10,000 linear feet (3 km) of 24-inch (610 mm) diameter water transmission main, a pressure plane flow transfer station, and a hydropneumatic tank in four months while meeting regulatory requirements.