To improve the City’s drinking water and combat the water’s high mineral content, Pierre’s city government took on their largest, public-approved infrastructure investment to date, moving the city’s primary source of drinking water from a dozen wells to employing a treatment plant that utilizes Missouri River surface water.
Located just south of the Missouri River highway bridge in Steamboat Park, the city’s new treatment plant broke ground in August 2020 and started pumping water to residents in December 2022.
The City of Pierre serves more than 13,640 customers who use an average of 2.6 million gallons of water each day. The maximum production capacity of the new plant is 8.8 million gallons a day, providing its customers with a vital resource for years to come.
Gage Brothers produced 19 pieces of 8” hollowcore, 15 pieces of 12” hollowcore, 15 ten-foot-wide double-tees, seven architectural wall panels, and 79 insulated architectural wall panels with formliner and sandblast finished for the $37.5 million facility. Precast concrete is highly resistant to corrosion and abrasion, making it ideal for use in environments like water treatment plants, plus can add architectural synergy with the surrounding terrain.
“The massing of the building was sunk into the ground so only one story is visible above the ground, creating a building that became a part of the landscape.” “It looks nothing like a water treatment plant, and that’s exactly what city leaders wanted, it’s not often you see a water treatment plant in a city park.” “We chose materials that communicated earthly qualities – precast with wood plank imprints, stone, and tones that mimic the South Dakota prairie landscape.” – JLG’s Catherine Dekkenga, AIA, Principal Architect |