Sacramento State – UPGRADING SEWER TO “GREEN”

This 64’ Flowtite septic tank was installed on campus

Tidelands Construction Company installed a new Flowtite® Septic Tank on the campus of California State University in Sacramento. This upgraded sewer system was part of a school-wide “green” building initiative. The governing body at one of California’s finest universities began a large-scale “green building” project designed to reduce the school’s harmful effects on the environment as well as minimize the current use of resources. One significant component of this project was a massive upgrade of the sewer system. The University decided on a 33,000 gallon holding tank and pump station. The original sewer system was out of date and not able to meet the increasing demand. The major risk was the inevitable failure of the pump station. A failure of any kind at the station would, in the past, be catastrophic sending the overflow back up the sewer lines. Now the system would force the backup to the Containment Solutions holding tank instead of the grim alternative. The populated campus of Sacramento State posed more than a few installation issues. The

surrounding obstacles included a main campus road, a nearby railroad line and a drainage ditch. The pre-existing pump station and generator were within close proximity as well. As a result, the excavation area was restricted to a small overall construction site. Although plenty of room was available for tank burial, the restrictions made it difficult for the heavy equipment and other installation preparations. The Flowtite septic tank was the best fit for Sacramento State’s needs.

Solution:
The cylindrical shape, along with Containment Solutions’ ability to manufacture a long yet structurally sound fiberglass tank, enabled Tidelands Construction to lower the tank directly into the excavation site. The 64 foot mammoth tank was installed quickly and easily. And since all Flowtite tanks are manufactured with non-corrosive fiberglass, the sewer upgrade will last for years to come.

Forest Hill Manor – Expanding Care by Collecting Water

5 Flowtite tanks will store 24,000 gallons of rain and stormwater

Forest Hill Manor is a retirement community on the Monterey Peninsula in Pacific Grove, CA where water management is a critical, conscious and primary concern. Forest Hill had dreams of expansion but before any new construction would be approved, the City of Pacific Grove required that designs met certain water credits to limit the increased burden on the local potable water supply.

Design Criteria:
Forest Hill Manor wanted to collect natural water but needed a significant capacity and had little room for storage. In order to meet the city’s requirements, the engineers devised a combination rainwater harvesting and stormwater collection system for a secondary water supply. By clustering a series of smaller underground tanks, Whitson Engineering also found a solution to Forest Hill’s limited space problem. As designed, 24,000 gallons would be collected from the roof tops and parking lot area then stored in (2) 3,000 gallon and (3) 6,000 gallon Flowtite® water storage tanks from Containment Solutions. The awarded contractor was Silvestri Construction and although this was their first installation of CSI tanks, they were pleased with the engineers’ recommendation. Bret Silvestri said he was “impressed with the ease of installation and how competitive the product was in cost, installation time and effort versus concrete.”

Solution:
Forest Hill Manor’s expansion included a new state-of-the-art Health Center comprised of an assisted living wing, skilled nursing center, and thirty-two new residential apartments. The 5 tanks were completely filled during the first rain storm. The water is currently used for landscape irrigation including flower beds, trees and shrubs which adds visual appeal without the need for potable water.

Santa Fe Railyard – Sustainable Station on Schedule

will store 75,000 gallons of rainwater using 5 Flowtite tanks

A forgotten train station will be the new tourist attraction for the heart of New Mexico, flaunting innovative engineering and rainwater harvesting. The resurrection of one of the oldest railroad stations in the Southwest will bring excitement and energy to the capital of New Mexico. The Rail Yard will offer tourists retail shopping, a farmer’s market, galleries, parks and a state-of-the-art green design.

Design Criteria:
A common concern in Santa Fe is rainwater or rather the lack of rainwater. Therefore an extensive rainwater harvesting system was a critical component of the Rail Yard’s initial plans. Architects designed the water catchment system to utilize 5 Flowtite® water tanks, or cisterns, each with a capacity of 15,000 gallons to collect from roof tops and drain spouts. The recycled rainwater would then be used to irrigate more than 400 indigenous trees as well as the new park landscaping. In addition to the Flowtite tanks, the Rail Yard plans will create and improve existing culverts for runoff water diversion. The final water management system will be capable of handling more than 100,000 gallons of water. This massive project was described as “a new millennium model for urban development” by Jason Silverman, writer for Santa Fean.

Solution:
This enormous project will cost an estimated $125 million dollars and was initially aimed at a Silver Level LEED® score but once completed some sections could reach the highest level of LEED certification, Platinum. The Flowtite rainwater harvesting tank will allow hundreds of thousands of tourists and residents to enjoy this engineering masterpiece. A new piece of American history built on the foundation of an American made fiberglass tank.

For information on Flowtite water and wastewater tanks visit:
www.containmentsolutions.com
or call toll free 1-877-CSI-TANK.