Completion of Walnut Pump Station
The Walnut Pump Station facility was constructed over 54 years ago to provide a sustainable drainage system for the southwest portion of Fountain Valley because this area is below sea level and cannot properly channel rain water through a traditional gravity-driven drainage system. The last improvements were implemented in 1977. The storm drain pump station was in immediate need of rehabilitation in order to provide reliable storm drain capacity to this region of the City. The engines were worn with a high risk of failure and replacement parts for the engines were no longer available. Failure of the Walnut Pump Station facility could have resulted in impactful flooding of the southwest section of Fountain Valley including the residential neighborhood immediately adjacent to Cordata Park should a high intensity and long duration rain event have occurred prior to the improvements.
The key components in the Walnut Pump Station Improvement project included the removal of four engines and replacement with four new Caterpillar engines, the removal of the existing dilapidated pumps and replacement with four new Cascade high volume capacity pumps and sound control interior components, the addition of a new control room to facilitate electronic control equipment, improvements to the pump station building, and new concrete pavement. Walnut Pump Station cost approximately $5.6M and was completed March 2020.
Completion of Reservoir 2
Reservoir No. 2 is located directly across the Talbert Flood Control Channel. It was originally constructed in 1971. The four (4) booster pumps and control system at this facility needed to be replaced and upgraded. The three (3) natural gas engines and the pumps, piping, equipment and control building at the Reservoir No. 2 facility were over 30 years old, exceeded their normal service life, and did not comply with exhaust emission standards set by AQMD.
The key components in the Reservoir No. 2 Improvement project included rehabilitation of the existing reservoir to extend its service life, the demolition of the existing pump station equipment facility and the installation of new pumps, electric motors, electrical gear, communication equipment, and a backup generator with an automatic transfer switch. Reservoir No. 2 cost approximately $9.1M and was completed in September 2020.
The Walnut Storm Drain Pump Station and Reservoir No. 2 Projects are an integral objective to meet the City’s Strategic Plan Goal of Maintaining and Enhancing Infrastructure and Facilities. These projects provide improvements to the existing facilities, new engines and pumps, and relocating interior mechanical and electrical controls to accommodate improvements to the facilities.