The city of Wichita and CDM's unique groundwater contamination solution—delivered on a design-build basis—provides significant resources for environmental education and promotes economic development in Wichita.
The Gilbert and Mosley project site encompasses more than 3,800 acres and contains a portion of the city's downtown. The groundwater beneath the site is contaminated with chlorinated solvents and other compounds, threatening human health and the environment and adversely affecting economic development in the area.
Through an innovative approach that established alternate cleanup levels, CDM helped to reduce the volume of groundwater requiring treatment by 40 percent, saving the city of Wichita an estimated $8 million when compared to the initial cost projections. The groundwater treatment system, which CDM designed, built, and operated during its first year, treats more than 1.2 million gallons of contaminated groundwater per day, and the treated water is reused in fountains, aquariums, and other water features in the new environmental education center.
The project's innovative approach protected the health of Wichita citizens, provided a valuable community resource, and has promoted more than $300 million worth of economic development to date.
The project also garnered top honors in the American Academy of Environmental Engineers Excellence in Environmental Engineering Competition—winning the prestigious Superior Achievement Award—and earned a national honor award in the American Council of Engineering Companies Engineering Excellence Awards