FORD ENGINEERING WINS STATE AWARD AND RECOGNITION AS A NATIONAL FINALISTS
Ford Engineering, Inc. was awarded First Place in the 2012 Texas Council of Engineering Companies Engineering Excellence Awards Competition, Small Firm, Water Resources Category. FEI's project titled "Live Oak Road Water Plant Expansion” secured the TCEC gold medal in this category and a National Recognition Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies.
This project was a joint effort between the City of Schertz, Texas and Ford Engineering, Inc. to ensure the City’s future development and growth is not impaired by insufficient infrastructure services. The Live Oak Road Water Plant is the central receiving location of water from the Carrizo Aquifer for the Schertz Seguin Local Government Corporation (SSLGC) for the City of Schertz. From this plant water is distributed to the cities of Schertz, Selma and Universal City.
From 2000 to 2010 the City of Schertz experienced an increase in population from an estimated 18,694 to 31,465. To support the City’s rapid growth, Ford Engineering, Inc. recommended increasing the existing water system’s storage capacity from 6.6 million gallons to approximately 12 million gallons per day in order to sustain a population of over 50,000.
The project included master planning of the water system, surveying, land acquisition, water network analysis, system design and preparation of plans and specifications for a 7.5 million gallon pre-stressed wire-wound, concrete ground storage tank (GST), resizing of existing vertical can turbine pumps, metering improvements, and supplementary site work. Valves and pressure sensors were installed to allow control of tank volume via the SCADA controls.
The increased storage and distribution capacity of the completed project ensures the City of Schertz is able to sustain future development and continue to supplement water supplies to neighboring municipalities for the next 30 years.
