Active Projects - Updated 9/15/2025

FY 25 – FY 26 Miscellaneous Sewer Repair Project – continuous, as-needed contract

This project includes miscellaneous pipe repairs, manhole repairs, water line installations, force main repairs, pavement removal and replacement, backfilling and other miscellaneous related work throughout UCSD’s service area.  The work is assigned on an as-needed basis throughout the year.  The project was awarded to SNC Construction at the April 2024 Board Meeting for an estimated value of $276,262.65. The District has paid SNC Construction $84,891.05 to date on this project.

Southwest Treatment Plant Solar Power Purchase Agreement (SPPA) – Under Construction

Sol Systems was selected for a SPPA to install a 2.2 Megawatt solar field at the SWP. The lease and SPPA with Sol Systems were approved at the May 15, 2023 Board meeting. The interconnection study for the new SWP solar field was approved by Ameren on July 6, 2023. Sol System was able to secure participation in the Illinois Shines Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) program on July 7, 2023. 

Sol Systems held a design kick-off meeting with District Staff on November 7, 2023 and has completed the environmental and site diligence studies. Sol System also completed tree removals at the SWP in March 2024. Sol Systems closed the financial arrangements with Onyx on August 30, 2024. Onyx executed an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) agreement with Verde Solutions on November 19, 2024. Verde Solutions has completed the project sitework grading and is presently installing the vertical posts, horizontal rotational members, and solar panels.

The anticipated project schedule for the SWP solar field is as follows:

2023 Phase 1 Improvements Project – Under Construction

The low bidder was Grunloh Building with a base bid amount of $39,051,800. 

Staff received the State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan agreement for the 2023 Phase 1 Improvements project on December 19, 2024 from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). Staff also issued the Notice of Award for the project to the low bidder Grunloh Builders on December 19, 2024. 

The project agreement and Notice to Proceed for the Project were executed on February 5, 2025. Grunloh started demolition activities in February 2025. UCSD hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on April 19, 2025 for the Phase 1 and SPPA projects at the Southwest Treatment Plant.  Completion of construction is anticipated by April 2027.

Work to date has included:

Northeast Plant

• Demolition of existing Combined Heat Power (CHP’s) equipment and associated piping, electrical, and controls.

• Installation of new CHP and biogas conditioning equipment including new electrical switchgear.

• Demolition of existing biogas piping and installation of new biogas piping.

• Completed structure for the new biogas flare.

Southwest Plant

• Demolition of existing Nitrification Towers, Old Headworks Facilities, Sand Filter Backwash Clarifier, and Sludge Dewatering Building structures.

• Sitework and yard piping for new Primary Clarifiers.

• Construction on the new sludge storage tank YY including the base and walls.

• Completion of base foundations for the new Primary Clarifiers and Primary Sludge Pumping Building.  

2025 Improvements Project – Design in 2024 thru 2025

The Board awarded Donohue and Associates an Engineering Services Agreement for the not to exceed amount of $1,374,360 for design, bid, and loan application assistance phase services for the 2025 NEP (Northeast Plant) Improvements Project at their April 2024 meeting. The 2025 Improvements Project includes a new ANITA Mox side stream treatment for ammonia removal, new side stream chemical feed treatment for phosphorus treatment, replacement of the solids dewatering equipment, new UV disinfection equipment, and other facility improvements. 

Donohue held a design kick-off meeting on May 6, 2024. The 30% project design milestone was completed and reviewed by District Staff in March 2025. The 60% design milestone was completed and reviewed by District Staff in June 2025. The final design and submittal for permitting is expected to be completed in November 2025.

Project schedule milestones are projected as follows:

2025 Station R Roof Replacement Project – Under Construction

The 2025 Station R Roof Replacement Project includes the following items:

• Removal and proper disposal of the existing asbestos cement shingles
• Removal and replacement of damaged roof sheathing
• Removal and replacement of existing painted trim and fascia
• New standing seam metal roof

The low bidder is Messing Roofing with a bid amount of $204,900. The removal of the existing asbestos cement roof shingles began on August 25^th. The roofing project is anticipated to be substantially completed by November 1, 2025.

2025 Station R HVAC and Plumbing Improvements Project – Under Construction

Staff solicited Requests for Proposals (RFP’s) from qualified contractors for design and build services for replacing the existing HVAC systems at the Northeast Treatment Plant (NEP) Station R Administration Building.  The new HVAC system includes the following items:

• New HVAC systems for all offices, rooms, bathrooms, and halls in Station R excluding the laboratory area. The two lab offices are to be included in the new HVAC system design.
• The new HVAC system will utilize ceiling cassette mini split units.
• Wall mounted programable thermostats provided for each area with ceiling cassette mini split units.

Additionally, all water supply piping in the attic shall be insulated and have induction heating protection.

The low bidder is the Henson Robinson Company with a bid amount of $648,962. Construction started in May 2025. The new mini cassette HVAC units and heat pumps have been installed. Work remaining includes completing the line sets and running electrical power to the mini cassette units. The HVAC replacement project is anticipated to be substantially completed by November 1, 2025.

2025 Painting Project – Project Completed

The 2025 Painting Project included painting secondary clarifier HH-4 at the Northeast Plant.

The paint system for a clarifier would typically have a life of 15 to 20 years.

The low bidder was Era Valdivia Contractors with a bid amount of $144,396. The painting project was completed by August 14, 2025. No change orders were issued for the project. The vehicles of some District Staff were affected by paint overspray from the project. Era Valdivia Contractors is working to address the vehicles impacted by the paint overspray.

2025 Sewer Rehabilitation Project – Project Completed

The 2025 Sewer Rehabilitation Project included lining, with cured in place pipe (CIPP) for the following interceptor sewers:

• 1898 Interceptor – 18-inch diameter in Downtown Champaign and Urbana
• 1946 Interceptor – 30-inch diameter at Busey Avenue and Western Avenue Urbana
• 1956VII Interceptor – 15-inch diameter at Edgebrook Drive and Briar Lane Champaign
• VII-J Interceptor – 12-inch diameter at 109 Kenwood Road Champaign
• VII-B-N Interceptor – 10-inch diameter at Cobblefield and Montrose Drives Champaign

The project included approximately 1,400-feet of CIPP sewer lining of high priority collector sewers at various locations across the UCSD service area. A T-Liner or Top Hat point CIPP repair was also included for a location at McKinley Ave between Paula Drive and Bloomington Road. The T-Liner or Top Hat is a one-piece, structural, stand-alone homogeneous main-to-lateral CIPP connection liner that extends 3 to 10 feet up into a sewer lateral pipe.

The Interceptor Sewer rehabilitation involved structural defects including cracking, fracturing, holes, severe root penetration, and severe corrosion in the pipe.

The low bidder was Hoerr Construction, Inc. with a bid amount of $528,390. The sewer rehabilitation project started in August 2025 and initially focused on the Campustown and Downtown areas to rehabilitate those sewers before the students returned to school. The remaining sewer lining work was completed by August 22^nd. There was one change order on the project for $52,720.75 for additional sewer and manhole rehabilitation for a development project at 505 South Fifth Street in Champaign. The developer for 505 S 5^th Street is reimbursing UCSD for the cost of that additional sewer and manhole rehabilitation work. The final value of the project after the change order was $586,110.75.

Crystal Lake Drive Interceptor Relief Sewer Project – Design in 2025

The District has experienced a significant number of sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) on its 1956 Interceptor, specifically in the area near the intersection of Broadway Avenue and Crystal Lake Drive in Urbana prior to 2013. The District recognized the need for resolving these SSO issues, since chronic occurrences of SSOs can result in Violation Notices and enforcement actions by Illinois EPA. In April, 2013, the District retained Donohue and Associates to complete a hydraulic evaluation of this part of the 1956 interceptor. The goal of this evaluation is to investigate the most likely cause for these SSOs and to provide recommendations for resolving these issues.

This report determined that the most likely cause for the SSOs on the 1956 interceptor is inadequate capacity in a section of the sewer that is east of the intersection of Broadway Avenue and Crystal Lake Drive. District Staff reported that the interceptor routinely conveys up to 14 MGD of wastewater flow during wet weather events and this segment’s full flow capacity is likely 9 MGD or less. This is caused by the fact that the sewer was placed on a relative flat slope, which Donohue confirmed by field measurements.

The Board awarded Donohue and Associates an Engineering Services Agreement for the not to exceed amount of $48,370 in design and bid phase services for a new relief interceptor sewer at their March 2025 meeting. The Engineering Services Agreement includes survey, design, engineer’s estimate, permitting, bid document preparation, and attendance of pre-bid and bid opening meetings. The relief sewer will be designed and permitted in 2026 with construction occurring in 2027. 

A project kick-off meeting between District and Donohue Staff was held on May 1, 2025. Surveying data collection for the project has been completed. Pipe and manhole material choices for the project were finalized in July 2025. The project design is anticipated to be completed and submitted for permitting in November 2025. The construction of the relief sewer improvements is planned for 2026.

Northeast Plant Digester EE-3 Cover Replacement Study – Study in 2025

The Dystor cover of Digester EE-3 was installed in May 2022. Over the 2 ½ years of operation, there have been increasingly serious problems of high levels of methane being found between the 2 membranes that make up the Dystor cover.  There have been many phone conferences and 2 additional site visits by Evoqua as we worked through the problem.  At this point it is plain that a tear developed on the lower/inner membrane.

UCSD submitted a warranty claim letter pointing to the tear as a problem with manufacturing or installation, expecting Evoqua (the Dystor cover manufacturer and installer) to cover a significant portion of the costs for the replacement.  Evoqua rejected the warranty claim letter entirely pointing to operation practices by UCSD that they feel abused the membrane and caused the tear.  

The Board awarded Donohue and Associates an Engineering Services Agreement for the not to exceed amount of $54,970 in engineering services to determine the best path forward regarding replacing Digester EE-3’s cover at their August 2025 meeting. Donohue will review and evaluate the following key alternatives and develop draft and final reports with a recommended path forward:

• How much digester gas storage does UCSD need with the new CHP's? Is it necessary to replace the EE-3 cover with a gas holder type cover?
• Evaluate replacement options including construction costs, present worth analysis, scheduling, and pros and cons:

1. Repair existing cover repair.
2. Removal and replacement of the existing cover with a new Dystor membrane cover.
3. Removal and replacement of the existing cover by a different flexible membrane manufacturer.
4. Removal and replacement of the existing cover with a new solid cover. Potential replacement covers include:
   1. Fixed-in-place cover similar to KK-3
   2. Floating cover similar to EE-1 and EE-2
   3. Floating, gas-holding cover similar to KK-2
   4. Other potential options

Donohue estimates it will take four to five months to complete the study. Donohue Staff are collecting digester gas production information from UCSD and a kick-off meeting is anticipated to be scheduled soon. 

57 Apple Tree Drive (I-74) Pump Station Replacement – Design in 2025

The Board approved at its August 5, 2024 meeting hiring Fehr-Graham Engineers to amend the Sewer System Facilities Planning Report (Technical Memorandum 11) for Northeast Champaign and Northwest Urbana.  The amended study considered sewer infrastructure upgrades for that area that would discharge to the Northeast Plant (NEP). The study included identifying new sewer infrastructure and improvement required for the 1 to 4 MGD of additional development related flows from several precision fermentation and biomanufacturing businesses.

The study concluded that two phases of infrastructure improvements are required to provide adequate sewer capacity for Northeast Champaign and Northwest Urbana for the future, depending upon the amount of growth that is seen from IFAB or other new businesses. Phase 1 improvements would involve replacing the existing 3.96 MGD firm capacity I-74 Pump Station with a new 11.2 MGD firm capacity pump station. Phase 1 would utilize all the capacity of the existing gravity interceptors between the I-74 Pump Station and the Northeast Plant.

The Board awarded Fehr-Graham an Engineering Services Agreement for the not to exceed amount of $498,584 in design phase services for designing the replacement of the I-74 Pump Station at their March 2025 meeting. The Engineering Services Agreement includes survey, design, engineer’s estimate, and permitting.

A project kick-off meeting between District and Fehr-Graham Staff was held on March 11, 2025. The 30% design was completed and reviewed by UCSD Staff in July 2025. Fehr-Grahm is presently working on the 60% design drawings. 

The anticipated project schedule for the 57 Apple Tree Drive Pump Station is as follows:

 District Staff and the District’s legal counsel, Mike McCormick, are negotiating with the property owner of the pump station site to acquire ownership of the portion of the property where the pump station is located. The pump station is presently located in a permanent easement.

The project was awarded the $150,000 design engineering grant from the State on January 29, 2025. The grant is entitled “Regional Site Readiness Program-Planning” and is for building infrastructure to attract economic development. UCSD and the City of Champaign will split the remaining design engineering costs via an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA). The project will not start construction until either additional grant funds for the construction phase are awarded or if development growth requires the additional capacity the pump station replacement project will provide.