Frequently Asked Questions
How long will construction last? Though completion was originally scheduled for Fall 2019, the primary contractor responsible for constructing the upgraded Walcrest Pump Station and Reservoir recently notified us of several areas of the project that will require additional work to meet specifications for the job. As a result, the contractor has indicated that additional time will be required for completion of the required work. We are currently negotiating a schedule with the contractor to resume work and complete the project, but the preliminary timeline places construction completion in Fall 2021.
What is the updated timeline for major project milestones? Factoring in the recent contractor delays, preliminary timelines schedule Walcrest for completion in Fall 2021. Shortly after the facility is completed, the City of Dallas plans to install irrigation and landscaping around the site. The landscaping construction is planned to bid in Winter/Spring 2021.
Does this delay mean more traffic controls? There will be no traffic controls in place near the Walcrest project until construction on Cell 2 of the reservoir begins in Spring 2020, at which time traffic controls will resume. For specific information on the approved Walcrest traffic control plan, click here.
What caused the delay? Similar to the process of constructing a new home or commercial building, there are features and functions of the Walcrest facility that need additional attention before DWU can accept the project as completed. With this additional time, the contractor will work to address any items that have not been up to DWU’s standards.
What impact will this delay have on the finished product? Our expectation is that the Walcrest facility, when completed to DWU’s standards, will dependably serve Dallas residents for another fifty to sixty years, with routine maintenance.
Will you share more updates about the delay? We will continue to keep neighbors updated through our project website and social media channels as the contractor and their team take the steps needed to allow us to accept their work on behalf of you, our customers. Find us on Facebook – Walcrest Pump Station. Follow us on Twitter @Dallas_Walcrest.
Will we be able to use the sidewalk on Hillcrest and Walnut Hill? For public safety, sidewalks adjacent to construction activities will be closed.
Will construction of the new facility affect the quality of our drinking water? All connections between the facility and the Dallas Water Utilities distribution system will be disconnected during construction and then reconnected when the new facility and pipelines are ready to be placed in service.
Will we experience any service interruptions during construction? Service interruptions are not anticipated.
How much will this project cost? The construction contract was awarded for $36,780,500.
Will I see an increase in my water bill because of this project? Water rates are used to fund future projects. This project was funded by previously established water rates.
Who can I contact for further questions? Please direct all inquiries through the e-mail query on our Contact page.
Walcrest Fun Facts
- The new Walcrest pumps will operate approximately 30% more efficiently than the existing pumps. This means the new pumps will use less energy to pump the same amount of water as the old pumps!
- Structure demolition will result in 13,000 cubic yards of concrete and steel reinforcing removed from the site. This equates to roughly 2 million pounds and 1,300 truckloads of concrete and steel! Don’t worry, we recycle!
- Earthwork will involve removing approximately 150,000 cubic yards of dirt and rock from the site. This is the equivalent of a football-field-sized pile about 60 feet tall! It equates to roughly 8,000 tons and 15,000 truckloads of dirt and rock to be removed.
- The new Walcrest facility design corrects hydraulic inefficiencies experienced at the existing facility. This means the new pumps will not have to work as hard to pump the same amount of water as the old pumps.
- The new pump station will use 5,100 cubic yards of reinforced concrete. This amount of concrete will fill approximately 450 mixer trucks, and it is enough concrete to pave approximately 1.5 miles of a residential neighborhood street.
- The new reservoir structure will use 25,000 cubic yards of reinforced concrete. This amount of concrete will fill 2,500 mixer trucks, and it is enough concrete to pave approximately 8 miles of a residential neighborhood street.
- There is approximately 1 mile of piping in this project.
Facility Information and Updates
- Walcrest Pump Station Fact Sheet – December 2015
- Construction Traffic Plan beginning 12/14/15 – December 2015
- Walcrest Alley Closure Flyer – December 2015
- Budget Confirmation – Dec. 10, 2015
- Recently, there have been a few unofficial messages moving around about the budgeting of the Walcrest Pump Station and Reservoir. As to be expected in a project like Walcrest that has been years in the making, time has allowed some inaccuracies regarding the budget and costs associated with this initiative. To remain true to the contributions made by an ad-hoc committee assembled to provide neighborhood input into the facility, and to now support work of the professionals charged by the City to deliver the new Walcrest facility, the City is using this time of transition from planning to construction to underscore the facts of the project.
- The input of the ad-hoc committee representing neighborhoods and homeowners associations is appreciated, as it improved the overall project scope. Certain requests from this group did, in fact, add cost to the project. However, at no time during the design phase – or now, in construction – has anything been removed from the project solely due to cost. In fact, every attempt was taken to incorporate as many of the requested changes of the committee as possible. As a result, this ad-hoc group voted to support the design presented at the September 18, 2014, public meeting. Not everyone got each individual alternative they wanted, but collectively, the ad-hoc committee and design team arrived at the best balance between DWU’s operational needs and what the neighborhood wanted to enhance the project.
- The Walcrest project team offers its thanks to all who contributed their time and input into the design phase which has been concluded, and is pleased to now be moving into the construction phase of the project.
- Ad-HOC Committee Meeting – Dec. 8, 2015
- Residential Flyer – October 2015
- Tree Tagging – November 2015
- The decision to remove trees for construction is a difficult one, and the Walcrest team has made every reasonable effort to protect and preserve as many trees as possible on Hillcrest Road, Walnut Hill Lane and Aberdeen Avenue.
- Smaller trees and brush around the new Walcrest facility, particularly the back fence line, will be tagged for removal in November 2015. Removal of these smaller trees and brush line will begin in the following weeks.
Important Facts about the Pump Station
- The Walcrest water reservoir and pump station are located at the intersection of Hillcrest Rd. and Walnut Hill La. In North Dallas
- Demand for water in Dallas has grown substantially since Walcrest was first constructed. As such, this facility has played an important role in the development and maturing of the Walcrest area of Dallas
- Walcrest is an important part of a larger, unified network of pump stations and water treatment plants that serves approximately 850,000 residents
- The Walcrest pump station has the ability to transfer potable water at a rate of 85 million gallons per day.
- The reservoir has a maximum storage capacity of 20 million gallons
- The pump station and reservoir together provide DWU with important flexibility needed to maintain other facilities in the North High Pressure Zone without placing a strain on the system
- With the Walcrest facility in service, individual system elements that are essential to proper system function can be taken off-line for maintenance or replacement
