In 2016, the City of Minneapolis Water Works (MWW) undertook a multiyear project to rehabilitate municipal water treatment infrastructure that serves more than 400,000 customers in the Minneapolis area. Construction dewatering over a period of approximately 10 months was required to construct a large, underground concrete tank approximately 40 feet below the ground. The rehabilitation project is located adjacent to several Superfund sites with chlorinated volatile organic compound (VOC) groundwater impacts.
Barr developed and implemented a groundwater monitoring program during the construction dewatering project to monitor the effects—if any—of the groundwater pumping on the chlorinated VOC-impacted groundwater from the adjacent contaminated sites. Work included preparation of a groundwater monitoring work plan, installation of groundwater monitoring wells, coordination of weekly sampling events, and communications with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Minnesota Department of Health. Barr evaluated the monitoring data and prepared a report summarizing the results, helping MWW to meet the requests of the regulatory agencies and keep this important construction project moving forward.
(photo shown above from City of Minneapolis)