Well 12 & 26 Booster Pump Replacements

This project was funded by the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program (SDWLP) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Project Description

Well 12 can pump into two separate regions on the west side of Madison. The booster pump here can be directed to pump into either Region C or into Region D at a less efficient rate. This pump was designed for the lower pressures of Region C and therefore unable to pump as much when directed into the higher-pressure areas of Region D. It is the original pump and motor from when the site was constructed in 1959.

This booster pump and motor could be replaced with a larger one designed to increase the amount of water it could pump into Zone 8. Additionally, the installation of a remote-controlled Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) at this site would allow us to transfer water from Region D into Region C by gravity.

This will be Madison Water Utility’s first resilience project contract.  We have been working with and receiving assistance from WI Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to develop, evaluate, and refine successful specifications for this technology. This project was completed October 2022 at an estimated bid cost of $170,000.

Water Supply and Water Quality Benefits

With the addition of a zone transfer vault and booster pump, Well 12 will be able to pump water to pressure zones 8 and 7 at a more cost-efficient rate. This will double the amount of residents Well 12 can supply and will provide an important layer of resilience and cost effectiveness for unforeseen failures at other wells within these two pressure zones. Adding this layer of resilience will minimize water outages and improve both water quality and flow in the area at a reduced cost to the ratepayer. Thanks also to the funding by the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program (SDWLP) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).