Monster Water Tank Is Critical To Boston Water System Upgrade
"Design-build was the only way we were going to make schedule," says Michael J. McBride, MWRA deputy chief operating officer. Norumbega is a critical part of the system because it serves as a day tank for Boston. MWRA is finishing up a $1.7-billion program that includes building a new water supply tunnel, an ozonation treatment plant and six storage tanks to comply with federal safe drinking water standards and to enhance system reliability.
Massachusetts is one of a handful of states that requires special legislation for design-build on public projects. MWRA has completed four tanks using traditional delivery and has one more to go using design-build. The agency has short-listed five firms for the $28-million, 20-million-gallon Blue Hills covered tank. "We're in the middle of the permitting stage and proposal documents and technical requirements will be out this summer," says McBride. RFPs will be evaluated this fall and an award made at year's end. Blue Hills must be completed by December 2006.