RM Clayton Headworks Improvement Project

Kiewit received the 2018 Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) National Award of Excellence in Water/ Wastewater. The project consisted of facility upgrades at the 240 MGD RM Clayton Water Reclamation Center—the City of Atlanta’s largest. The scope of work primarily consisted of the removal of the replacement of the coarse screening, installation of a new grit removal and dewatering systems and new flow-monitoring equipment. The project also included several upgrades and replacements to existing process equipment including the 4 bar screens, washer compactor and screenings conveyor equipment, 26 electric actuated sluice gates, various underground utilities, electrical and control upgrades and new DCS / Foxboro integration.

The effective use of design-build techniques helped streamline and accelerate the completion of the project, despite unforeseen subsurface condition delays of five months that required an elaborate combination of rock bolting, soil nails, and tie-backs in the 40 foot excavation. Throughout the project, using a design-build approach enabled early procurement of specialized equipment, ongoing constructability reviews and timely decision-making. The use of an integrated master CPM schedule and building information modeling, which was accessible to all of the project partners, helped ensure clear lines of communication and maximized efficiency.