Meeting Construction Challenges with Trenchless Technology

After hundreds of area homes suffered major sanitary sewer backups following a severe storm in 2010, the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst launched the $10 million Southwest Elmhurst Wet Weather Control Facility project. This comprised a major upgrade to an existing lift station, over 5,000 feet (1,524 m) of 18” (450 mm) force main, and a two million-gallon (7.6 ML) storage tank. While all aspects of the project presented difficulties, the installation of the force main, with three crossings of a certified levee, a river traverse, and over 700 feet (213 m) of blind drill through a wetland, was particularly challenging. At the time of the design the desired pipe, restrained-joint PVC, was not available. Working with the manufacturer over a period of 18 months, this pipe was finally produced two weeks before construction began. This paper will discuss the various construction challenges of the project, including a virtually inaccessible installation adjacent to the river. The project was successfully completed and has been in operation during subsequent major storm events with only a handful of back-ups experienced.