Heavy Construction

Consumers Energy Saginaw Lake Pipeline

GFR1000 reactors treated 3.4 million gallons of hydrostatic test water from 28 miles of pipeline near Flint, Michigan-cutting TSS by 37 mg/L for Flint River discharge.

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Location: Saginaw Trail near Flint, Michigan

The Challenge

Pipeline right-of-ways often have limited space for large water treatment equipment, and landowners need to be compensated for work on their property, which can add to project costs. Welded Construction needed a compact, simple, effective, and affordable method to dewater the pipeline at an efficient rate. In 2018, the contractor required treatment of hydrostatic testing water discharged from 28 miles of 24” high-carbon steel pipeline for Consumers Energy Services on the Saginaw Lake pipeline project near Flint, Michigan.

The Solution

Clearflow’s Gel Flocculant Reactors (GFR1000) were chosen. The treated water was sent via a constructed ditch lined with Clearflow’s Treated Jute for filtration and ultimately discharged directly into the Flint River.

Results

Achieving a 37 mg/L reduction in TSS and returning water to the Flint River of a higher quality than the river itself proved the GFR1000’s capabilities. Successful treatment of 3.4 million gallons in 2018 ensured the units would be deployed again in 2019 on a second replacement-section hydrostatic test discharge. Historical results are examples, not guarantees.