Faced with capacity and regulatory issues, the City of Fort Scott began efforts to upgrade its water plant and increase its water storage. The City received State Revolving Loan Funding from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to design and construct upgrades for the 5.2 MGD Water Treatment Facility and the 0.75 MG elevated storage tower.

Project Background
The Fort Scott Water Treatment Plant has three sources of water for distribution to its customers. The Marmaton River is the primary water provider, supplying 75% to 100% of Fort Scott’s usage demands;
Rock Creek Lake contributes between 5% and 22% while Fort Scott Lake contributes up to 23%.

Fort Scott contains residential, commercial and industrial areas and supports more than sixteen large businesses and industries. These businesses employ over 2,500 citizens from the City and surrounding area. Fort Scott’s residents account for 54% of the population of Bourbon County. In addition to the 3,550 residential customers within the City, the water treatment plant provides potable water service to Consolidated Rural Water District No. 2, which serves most of Bourbon County.

Originally constructed in the 1920’s the water treatment plant was subsequently improved in 1934, 1979 and 2001. The 2006 improvements bring the treatment plant into compliance with current and anticipated regulatory requirements. The Water Treatment Plant complies with the EPA Disinfection By-products Rule, the residual solids handling requirements and proposed requirements including backwash recycle rules and EPA’s NTU Requirements.

Treatment Process
The treatment process underwent significant modifications during the upgrades. Ozone treatment was chosen because of its high disinfection levels and its ability to remove taste and odor. The water is disinfected by ozone from liquid oxygen. Liquid oxygen requires less equipment and produces a higher concentration of ozone than an air feed ozone system.

Filtration improvements include new media, piping and valves, controls and instrumentation, a filter waste cycle and an air/water scour system. Turbidimeters were installed on each filter discharge and on the main distribution line to the City. These systems allow easier operation and maintenance, as well as more effective backwashing.

Other Improvements Include:
• Two new clearwells to store 450,000 gallons each of finished water (900,000 total)
• Three horizontal split case pumps to improve high service pumping
• Upgrades to the controls and telemetry system
• Laboratory remodeling to accommodate new control computer
• Lime and Alum Feed equipment replacement
• Caustic Soda Feed addition
• New Solids Handling System
• Paving improvements for plant access roads
• New 0.750 MGD Water Tower

Nearly a mile of 12” water main was constructed as a part of the project. The water main serves the east side of town and the older water tower. As a part of that work, a portion of the southeast side of the community was converted from low pressure zone to a high pressure zone. This provided the new Middle School with adequate water pressure and fire protection.

Professional Engineering Consultants, P.A. provided Mechanical, Electrical, Structural and Civil Engineering including Survey, Testing and Inspection Services.

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