Marine work underway on water intake replacement project

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Submitted by City of Evanston

The replacement of the oldest water intake at the Evanston Water Utility is underway. The existing intake, built in 1909, will be replaced by a 60-inch diameter pipeline that extends from the Water Plant. Marine work has begun and will likely continue through October, lake conditions permitting.

This new phase of work mobilizes heavy equipment onto the lake and is highly visible. Marine work includes underwater excavation and installation of the pipeline and intake structure in the lakebed. It is staged out of a construction yard in Chicago. Lake access for construction personnel is from the water plant with additional mooring provided approximately one mile off shore. Marine vessels consist of at least three barges and five support boats. Barge-based excavation will begin at the shore and proceed to the end of the intake pipeline. Marine work will be contained within a 100-foot-wide corridor surrounded by buoys and silt curtains.

Work ScheduleMarine work is a 24-hour operation. Night work is lit for safety and is visible from the shore. All boats and watercraft must stay at least 200 feet away from all marine operations. Marine work will proceed as long as lake conditions permit, likely through October. It will continue again in the Spring of 2024 and is scheduled to be complete by December 2024.

Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, marine work will occur Monday through Friday when within 1000 feet of the shore. After Labor Day and before Memorial Day, or when work is more than 1000 feet from the shore, work will proceed 7 days per week as lake conditions permit.

Contractor InformationThe contractor for this project is Ballard Marine Construction LLC, 727 S. 27th St., Washougal, WA.

City MonitoringThis project will be monitored by the City’s Capital Planning & Engineering Bureau. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Senior Project Manager Paul Moyano at 847-448-8217 or [email protected].

View the project newsletter.

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