We Are Going to Need a Bigger Pump: Overview of Design and Construction of SAWS’ Second Largest Lift Station and the E-54 Sanitary Sewer Project

The SAWS E-54 sewer project is located in north central San Antonio, Texas. The project is located over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone and will decommission three aging and undersized Lift Stations, utilizing multiple gravity mains to divert flows to a proposed regional lift station. The E-54 Regional lift station has an ultimate capacity of 14 MGD, redundant 20-in. force mains that will convey flows to an approximate 5-mi long 30-in. gravity outfall. In addition, these sewer system improvements are designed to include the capacity to accommodate future flows from the existing Cibolo Canyons lift station for when it is eventually taken out of service by SAWS. This project utilized the SAWS Tri-Lateral project delivery method and includes the following: design, easement acquisition, utility coordination, unique environmental considerations (potential Karst), route considerations (existing USDA SCS dam structure and a 1,900 LF bore), and coordination of the second largest lift station in the SAWS' sewer system.