V&A was retained by the City of Sunnyvale Department of Public Works to refurbish one 5-million-gallon (MG) tank (Wolfe Evelyn) and make repairs at several other tanks at five water plants.
The Wolfe-Evelyn water plant is one of the major facilities within the City’s potable water distribution system. Water is received from wholesale providers, including San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Hetch-Hetchy, Santa Clara Valley Water District and from City-owned wells. The plant is intended to provide reliable and adequate flow and pressure to satisfy both fire suppression and potable water needs, regardless of peaks and valleys in demand. As part of Phase 1, the City is planning to seismically retrofit the Wolfe Evelyn tank as well as modify the current vents and fall protection system. Other improvements include relining the interior surfaces, the replacement of the inlet and outlet pipes with flexible piping, installing SCADA-controlled actuators and valves on the inlet and outlet pipes, replacing the brackets on the conduit supports to the PAX water mixer, and modifying the locks on three hatches.
Phase 2 of project may include the exterior recoating of the San Lucar tank roof, installation of stairways on the tanks, and modifications of the roof vents. The center vent and the outer vent openings have been cited by the California State Water Board for not having a shroud to block wind-blown debris. V&A has evaluated the vents and has proposed a new vent design in the 30% design drawing submission.
