In partnership with Missouri American Water, we delivered innovative water engineering solutions for the community of Joplin, Missouri. Our work on the High Service Pump Station at the Blendville Water Treatment Plant strengthened the city's water system with reliable, modern infrastructure.

The project’s innovative design and positive community impact earned us the ACEC Missouri Grand Award for Engineering Excellence, recognizing a solution that goes beyond technical performance to support public health, economic vitality, and environmental stewardship for years to come.

The innovative design and positive community impact earned us the ACEC Missouri Grand Award for Engineering Excellence.

The plant’s original, century-old high service pump station faced challenges. Constant‑speed pumps and reliance on an elevated tank made it difficult to maintain consistent pressure when the tank was out of service, increasing the risk of water disruptions for thousands of residents. Aging equipment and limited space further constrained opportunities to improve efficiency or expand capacity, all while the facility needed to remain operational during construction.

Our water experts designed a new high service pump station that modernized operations without interrupting service. The facility features variable frequency drives (VFDs) that allow pumps to respond efficiently to real‑time demand, improving reliability and energy performance. Upgraded electrical systems provide backup power for four high service pumps, strengthening resilience during outages.

The new building houses six pumps with a firm capacity of 22.5 million gallons per day and is designed to accommodate future expansion. A dual‑main discharge manifold adds redundancy and operational flexibility, giving operators greater control under a wide range of conditions. Careful construction phasing, including overnight tie‑ins, kept the existing station in service and limited the longest outage to just six hours.

Delivered during the COVID‑19 pandemic, the project required proactive coordination to navigate supply‑chain challenges. Today, the fully operational facility provides dependable drinking water and positions Joplin for future growth.