Poplar Point Pumping Station
Greeley and Hansen, A TYLin Company, designed a new 55 MGD sanitary pumping station on a tight urban site in Washington, DC.
Located near the intersection of I-295 and South Capitol Street, this new pumping station is a very visible structure not only for everyday commuters, but also for the Presidential helicopter when flying from the White House to the Andrews Air Force Base. The architectural project team created a curvilinear building with a water drop shape that aesthetically mimicked the DC Water logo, following the curves defined by the highway as well as becoming as easy identifiable shape from the air. Since the building is mostly a windowless building, Greeley and Hansen provided interest to the otherwise monotonous surface by combining color and materials that require low maintenance and behave well in an area exposed to dirt and fumes coming from the continuous stream of nearby passing vehicles.
Inside the pumping station building, the design included a new combined sewer pumping station to replace an existing pumping station to better serve the needs of the DC Water sewer system and to complement the DC Clean Rivers Project. It included the design of a new sanitary pumping station incorporating screenings removal, odor control, backup generator power, and overflow relief sewers. The project included the design of approximately 1,000 feet of 54-inch diameter interceptor sewer to reroute the sewer flows from the existing pumping station to the new pumping station, geotechnical investigations, soil borings and field surveys. Large stretches of the 54-inch diameter interceptor sewer are located beneath existing high use highways, which required the analysis of alternative construction methods. The station has been designed to meet LEED Silver certification requirements and will be considered a focal point for people entering the District from the Anacostia Freeway.
Project Highlights
- Detailed hydraulic evaluations of new influent sewers and pumping scenarios, including surge modeling to mitigate surges during intense storm events
- Sequencing of construction and phasing of work to facilitate construction on a tight urban site
- Uninterrupted service during transition between existing pumping station to new pumping station
- Sustainable solutions integrated into design of facility
- Innovative and aesthetic architectural design