Don L. Moore Water Treatment Plant Expansion Phase I & II

Ardurra delivered upgrade and expansion services for Easley Combined Utilities' (ECU) Don L. Moore Water Treatment Plant, transforming a capacity-constrained 40-year-old facility into an 18 MGD modern treatment system. The two-phase approach eliminated ECU's dependence on purchasing supplemental water from Greenville Water while positioning the utility for projected two-decade demand growth.

Phase One completely replaced the existing 8.9 MGD WTP with advanced infrastructure, including a 36 MGD raw water intake and pump station, a 12 MGD process treatment train, a new chemical feed facility, a 5.0 MG finished water storage tank, and a 36 MGD finished water pump station. Comprehensive improvements included alum sludge handling system upgrades, 1960s control building rehabilitation, fiber-optic communication ring installation, and a PLC-based distributed control system with Wonderware InTouch HMI/SCADA software.

Key Project Achievements:

• Transformed a 40-year-old WTP from 8.9 MGD to 18 MGD capacity through a strategic two-phase expansion approach

• Installed 36 MGD raw water infrastructure with intake, pump station, and comprehensive treatment train supporting future growth

• Implemented advanced control systems, including fiber optic communications and PLC-based distributed control with SCADA software

• Conducted pilot testing program for plate settlers and high-rate filtration, optimizing Phase Two expansion design

• Constructed 4.5 MW standby/peak shaving power system, ensuring reliable operations and energy cost management

• Achieved substantial annual savings, eliminating hundreds of thousands in water purchase costs through self-sufficient treatment capacity

• Completed within schedule and budget while generating sufficient savings to cover new plant financing costs

The Don L. Moore Water Treatment Plant earned the South Carolina Engineering Excellence Award from ACEC-SC, recognizing exceptional project achievement. The successful expansion provides ECU with reliable, cost-effective water treatment capacity supporting long-term community growth while demonstrating financial sustainability through operational savings.