오클라호마시티의 역사에서 물의 부족 및 과잉이 몇 년 간 지역 성장을 결정지을 만큼 물은 중요한 역할을 수행해 왔다. 이에 1930년대 발생했던 대가뭄 및 홍수는 올해 봄까지도 시의 개발에 영향을 주었고, 시의 기후탄력성은 상당한 양의 빗물 및 홍수에 의해 시험대 위에 올랐다.

1920년대에 펜실페니아 애버뉴 북부에 지어진 Overholser 수처리 플랜트는 높은 수요가 있었던 기간 동안 깨끗한 물을 공급해온 과거의 기념비가 되었다. 이 플랜트의 중요한 기능은 물이 모래와 탄소필터를 통과하면서 정화되는 여과기능이다. 필터를 깨끗이 하기 위해 역세척법을 사용했고, 잔류 모래는 침전늪(settling lagoon)으로 보내져 제거된다.

 

 

 

Water has played an important role in the history of Oklahoma City, Okla. -- the absence or overabundance of it has defined the region's growth over the years. Likewise, the devastating drought and flooding of the 1930s shaped the city's development, and just this spring, the community's resilience was tested by extreme levels of rain and flooding.

 

Built in the 1920s, the Overholser Water Treatment Plant on North Pennsylvania Avenue is a monument to the past with a timeless mandate: to supply clean water during periods of high demand, especially the scorching Oklahoma summers. A critical function of the plant is filtration, when the water passes through a sand and carbon filter. To clean the filter, the flow is reversed; the filters are back-washed, and the residual material is removed to a settling lagoon.

 

As the city grew and demand increased, so did the stress on the plant's filtration system. Increased volume meant that the filter required more cleaning, but the tank housing the filter was undersized and not equal to the task. Peter Borelli, senior engineer at Johnson & Associates, recommended replacing the old tank with an Aquastore tank from CST and Texas Aquastore. Aquastore tanks are made of glass-fused-to-steel and are corrosion-free and require little to no maintenance.

 

"The Aquastore's simplistic design allowed for a straightforward foundation design and installation in a crowded area of the plant where there was limited space to install and bring online before the old tank could be removed," said Borelli. Moreover, Larry Hare, civil engineer with Oklahoma City, added, "We're also looking at a longer lifespan and reduced costs with the Aquastore tank. That's a huge win for the city and its residents."

 

[출처 = Water World / 2015년 9월 15일]