Castle Rock Well and Pipeline Project (CO)

New wells and pipeline needed in 8 months called for design-build method

The Town of Castle Rock, Colorado, faced demand projections that exceeded their available water supply. The town identified properties for deep-aquifer well development and transmission to their newly constructed water treatment facility. The town had only eight months to complete the project resulting in the decision to use the progressive design-build delivery method. The $6 million project included four new wells, three new well houses, and approximately two miles of new raw-water pipeline.

The well facilities had to be located on undisturbed two-acre parcels, adjacent to a highway. The 20-inch raw-water transmission line had to cross the highway and McMurdo Gulch, which is a FEMAdelineated 100-year floodplain. Special site grading and construction activity provisions were incorporated into the design to ensure impacts to the Gulch were minimized.

Collaboration among HDR, subcontractors, and town staff was critical element to success

HDR Design-Build, Inc. engaged qualified specialty subcontractors for the well facilities and pipeline, negotiated the prices and delivery of major equipment items, and developed cost and schedule tools to provide the town with critical, real-time information on the project budget and schedule milestones. Key team members were engaged in the project from start to finish. The team members worked closely in cooperation with the town’s engineering and operations staff to ensure the town’s equipment preferences and that instrumentation and controls requirements were incorporated into the project. The project met the town’s quality expectations, was operational one month ahead of schedule, and delivered at a cost savings of more than $328,000.