Reflecting pools, waterfalls, dramatic architecture, and environmental education resources are drawing citizens to the Wichita Area Treatment, Education, Remediation (WATER) Center. Located in a city park, this facility is part of a standout groundwater remediation project that is protecting human health and the environment.
The proactive efforts of the city of Wichita are accomplishing a landmark cleanup and promoting economic redevelopment of the contaminated Gilbert and Mosley site—once a hazardous waste liability—without Superfund intervention. Groundwater beneath the 3,850-acre site is contaminated with varying concentrations of chlorinated solvents (PCE, TCE, DCE, and VC) and other compounds. To remediate the contaminated groundwater plume, which is nearly 4 miles long and 2 miles wide, CDM designed and built a groundwater treatment system to treat 1.2 million gallons per day. The core of the treatment system is a hydraulic-venturi air stripper, chosen for its compact size, quiet operation, and ease of maintenance.
Through an innovative approach of alternate cleanup levels, CDM also helped to reduce the volume of groundwater that needed to be treated by 40 percent, resulting in an estimated cost saving of $8 million when compared to the initial cost projections for the project. The WATER Center is a showcase facility that enhanced an existing park and added the treatment and education buildings, where schoolchildren and visitors learn about environmental stewardship.