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Distribution Operations & Maintenance Report
Andy Erickson, Jr.
Water Distribution Manager
The past year has truly been a historic year of change and adaptation as Southwest Water Authority (SWA) navigated its way through the Covid-19 pandemic. SWA Distribution operations evolved allowing workers to remain safe but maintain the Southwest Pipeline Project (SWPP). A few of SWA’s accomplishments through the past year include the construction of the Second Davis Buttes and Second Belfield Reservoirs providing additional potable water storage of 1.75 million gallons. Ixom Water Tank Mixers were installed in all four Belfield and Davis Buttes Reservoirs to ensure that water quality continues to meet the highest standards.
Future water needs of southwest North Dakota were addressed with the replacement of existing blowoff valves on the raw water line to accommodate increased pressures resulting from upgrades of the Dodge and Richardton Booster Pump Stations (BPS). A 1000 horsepower motor and pump were added to the arsenal at the Dodge BPS and allowing SWA to move more water through the raw water line from Lake Sakakawea to Dickinson.
A 1,600 foot section of 16” Ductile Iron Pipe (DIP) identified as compromised due to Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC, or corrosion affected by the presence or activity of microorganisms in biofilms on the surface of the corroding material) was replaced near the Decker Subdivision south of Dickinson. An additional section of 30” DIP was identified as compromised due to MIC near Taylor and is scheduled to be replaced in 2021.
In 2019, SWA planned and prepared for the current satellite which was scheduled to go dark and to stop reporting on December 31, 2020. This satellite provided meter readings for nearly 3,000 SWA customers. The SWA Distribution Operators completed the Herculean task of changing out the Automatic Meter Reader (AMR) equipment for those customers. SWA switched these 3,000 customers from a satellite read AMR to a cellular read AMR in locations that have adequate cell phone service. For areas that do not have adequate cell phone service those meters will continue to be read by a satellite AMR, utilizing satellite service from a different satellite.
Along with the aforementioned accomplishments, SWA pumped 2.411 billion gallons of water from its Intake structure at Lake Sakakawea to three Water Treatment Plants providing water
to 33 Communities, and 7,330 rural customer accounts. This was the 5th largest amount ever pumped from the Intake. With the drought conditions we are experiencing this winter, we may be in for another record breaking year in 2021. Now and into the future, SWA remains committed to delivering quality water to southwest North Dakota.
2020 | 20 www.SWwater.com