The Challenge

Morehead Utility Plant Board had commissioned a study of the Derrickson Lift Station back in 2014 that recommended replacement of the lift station and force main based upon the performance of the station and the regularity of SSO events. The current wet well was severely undersized due to the expansion of upstream gravity sewer and could not maintain normal operations after a 1-inch rain event.

The Solution & Result

The project moved the station upstream due to pending KYTC roadwork along KY 32 that would have caused the lift station to be relocated in the next five years. Bluegrass and MUPB worked with KYTC to secure funding from KYTC for the “relocation” prior to the standard project time frame.

The project included a 1.5 MGD lift station, 15,000 linear feet of 10-inch force main (PVC & HDPE) and 2,200 linear feet of directionally drilled HDPE force main.

Due to the pending road construction, that is scheduled to relocate the road westerly, it required a directionally drilled force main for a section of almost 900 feet that at it’s deepest point was approximately 120 feet deep. The pending roadwork was going to reduce that depth to 50 feet but due to terrain we were required to maintain that depth. We worked with the road design engineer and their geotechnical engineer for review of bore logs and reports to finalize the design.

The project cost totaled $2.6 million with $1.4 million being funded via the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority Fund A and $1.2 million being funded by KYTC Utility Funds.

The project did have the unfortunate reality of dealing with significant material delays due to COVID shutdowns during the height of COVID-19 restrictions.