Construction of the new $40 million Manchester Water Works water treatment plant and pump station on the Merrimack River is under way. The new facility will ultimately provide up to 3.1 million gallons of water a day to communities south of Manchester.
The project consists of constructing a new 7.2 million gallon per day drinking water treatment plant and raw water pumping station. The work includes a 3,000 SF pump station building and a 20,000 SF treatment building.
In response to the contamination of local water systems, the towns of Windham, Plaistow, Hampstead and Salem signed long-term deals with Manchester Water Works to supply water. Made possible by funds from the NH Drinking Water Trust Fund, the project started construction in the spring of 2021 and will be completed in spring 2023.
The team is led by the engineering/design firm CDM Smith and the construction company, Methuen Construction. They selected Strescon Limited to manufacture precast concrete panels to clad both the treatment plant and the pump station. The tall reveals on the grey panels provide aesthetic relief from a flat façade. The panels reach up to 30-feet in height and are insulated to provide an economical solution to withstand the New England winters.
The 8-inch thick panels feature punched window openings that will allow natural light to enter the facility. The interior face of the precast panels will enable easy cleaning and low maintenance of the hardened surface in the industrial setting.
The new pump station will extract water from beneath the Merrimack River and the treatment plant will clean and disinfect the water. When completed, Manchester Water Works will be able to provide its customers a vital resource for years to come. |