Update - March 23, 2023
Site Excavation Work
The site excavation work continues. The contractor expects to complete the excavation work within the next two weeks. The next step will be the preparation of the sub grade for the tank to rest on.
Update - February 16, 2023
The Contractor is actively working on the excavation for the 10 million gallon tank.. You will likely see large earth moving equipment and trucks moving around throughout the workday hours.
Update - February 2, 2023
Contractor is Mobilizing Equipment on Site
The contractor is bringing equipment on-site this week and preparing the site for the excavation work that will shortly begin.
EXPECTED IMPACTS DURING CONSTRUCTION
Dust, noise, and vibrations will occur during working hours.
STREET CLOSURE INFORMATION
Westbound traffic on 400 South between 400 West and 600 West will be reduced to a single lane for the remainder of the school year. This single westbound lane will close at the end of the school year and will remain closed until further notice.
400 South will be closed to all eastbound traffic between 600 West and 400 West (see map), beginning Thursday, February 2, 2023. This closure is expected to remain in effect until the completion of work on the City of Orem Heritage Park in 2025.
Starting this summer all the pavement in this section of 400 South is scheduled to be removed and the installation of necessary infrastructure for the project will be installed beneath the roadway. More information on this work will follow as the date for this work approaches.
The closure to this section of 400 South will facilitate public safety and provides a safe trucking route for the large vehicles that are moving in and out of the site throughout the workday.
Update - January 31, 2023
400 South closes to all eastbound traffic between 600 West and 400 West.
400 South will be closed to all eastbound traffic between 600 West and 400 West (see map), beginning Thursday, February 2, 2023.
This closure is expected to remain in effect until the completion of work on the City of Orem Heritage Park in 2025.
Westbound traffic between 400 West and 600 West will be reduced to a single lane for the remainder of the school year.
This single westbound lane will close at the end of the school year and will remain closed until further notice.
Update - January 18, 2023
Partial Closure(s) of the Intersection at 400 South and 400 West
Thursday, January 19th, the intersection at 400 South and 400 West will have partial closures throughout the day.
North and south traffic on 400 West will not be able to cross 400 South in the morning hours while crews are placing asphalt.
In the afternoon, east and west traffic on 400 South will not be able to cross 400 West while crews are placing asphalt.
Update - January 11, 2023
Partial Closure of the Intersection at 400 South and 400 West
Eastbound and westbound travel on 400 South will be closed at the intersection with 400 West from at 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, January 13th, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (see map). Please follow the posted detour routes to get around this closure.
Northbound and southbound traffic will be unrestricted through the intersection on Friday.
There will be an additional partial closure of the intersection at 400 West and 400 South on Monday, January 16th (weather permitting) while crews do paving work. Please follow any posted detour routes. This paving work will affect through traffic in all directions throughout the day and is expected to last from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Update - January 4, 2023
Partial Closure of the Intersection at 400 South and 400 West
Southbound travel on 400 West will be closed at the intersection with 400 South starting at 4 p.m. on Friday January 6th and extending through Sunday January 8th.
Northbound traffic on 400 West will be required to make either a left or right turn at 400 South to avoid the closure.
Update - December 21, 2022
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The construction work for the irrigation line that is being installed in front of Orem Elementary is well underway. This work is located in the street next to the curb and gutter on the north side of the 400 South roadway. There are no anticipated lane closures from this work through the Christmas and New Year holidays. Work is scheduled to continue into mid-January 2023
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The development of the well is underway and is expected to last through February 2023
Update - November 29, 2022
PROJECT STATUS
Orem City is installing a 24 inch buried irrigation pipeline along the north side of 400 South. Work will take place between 400 West and 600 West and will include open trenching and shifting of traffic lanes to accommodate the needs of the construction work in this area.
SAFETY
There will be a barricade of traffic barrels and tape located between the sidewalk and the construction trench/work zone. Please stay on the sidewalk and out of the construction areas. The safety of pedestrians
and the motoring public are top priority with this project. Pedestrians, please use the walking path shown on the map to avoid the construction zone and safely access the school.
There will be a brief work stoppage in the morning and afternoon to accommodate student drop-off and pick-up.
The City has hired Epic Engineering to design this irrigation pipeline and B.D. Bush Excavation for the construction work.
Update - November 1, 2022
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The sound walls for the well drilling project, came down this past week.
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Orem’s tank contractor will be selected very soon and is expected to start on the site within 1-2 months.
Update - October 3, 2022
Over the weekend drilling crews installed all the casing/screen to a depth of 950 feet. They placed all but the last 25 feet of the gravel pack, they will top it off in the next few days. The contractor pumped all drilling mud from the hole and placed the chemical treatment. The chemicals need to sit for 24 hrs. On October 3rd, they will begin swabbing the casing, once this process is completed, the contractor will perform minimal well development just to clean up the well. When the drill rig is removed, the sound walls will come down.
Widdison Turbine will mobilize to the well site mid October to begin developing the well. Well development is a critical part of producing a good drinking water well. This process will take roughly 35 working days.
The reason well development is so important is that just as the well is drilled, is the best time and opportunity to open up or clean the formations in the aquifers that produce water.
When the rotary drill rig is removed, Widdison Turbine will set up a cable tool rig to surge the well. The cable tool rig uses specialized tools called a surge block and bailer. The surge block fits tight against the interior walls of the casing/screen, similar to the action of a syringe. As the surge block is raised and lowered in the casing it pulls water from the formations of the aquifer and then forces it back into the formations. This surging motion forces water through the formations loosening sediment.
This process will pull any drilling mud and sediment into the casing which can then be bailed or pumped out. Essentially the development process is power washing the formations that produce water. Once the power wash is complete and the water is clear, a pump is installed into the well casing to accomplish what is referred to as the test pump.
Pumping will start at a lower gallons per minute rate (GPM) and progress to something above 4,000 GPM which is what we are hoping to produce with this well. Water will be pumped at a higher rate (over pumping) and then a lower rate, again surging water through the formations. Once the higher GPM is established, a constant rate test is performed for 24 hours to determine what the well is capable of producing or constant rate. This is a 350 to 400 hour process.
Update - September 16, 2022
The gravel pack material has arrived on site and the drilling crew is putting the drill rig back in place. The contractor will begin reaming the hole later next week to a diameter of 28 inches.
This will be followed with the installation of the 20 inch diameter well casing with its screens to a depth of approximately 950 feet and the placing of the gravel pack.
Update - August 8, 2022
The 20 inch diameter well casing is onsite, however, the installation has been delayed while the contractor secures a high quality gravel pack which is a critical component of the well. The shipment of gravel that was delivered failed to meet the required specifications and was rejected.
It is believed that an acceptable gravel pack will be delivered in approximately seven to ten days, at which time the contractor will resume reaming the hole.
Update - July 27, 2022
The drilling crew is back and will begin reaming the hole later this week to a diameter of 28 inches.
This will be followed with the installation of the 20 inch diameter well casing with its screens to a depth of approximately 950 feet.
Update - July 13, 2022
The drillers are headed home, but they will be back!
Last night the drillers finished water quality sampling. Currently they are filling the 17-1/2 inch pilot hole with pea gravel from a depth of 950 feet to 250 feet below grade. Once complete, they are heading home for much needed time off.
The well site will be quiet for approximately two weeks and then, the drilling crew will be back to begin reaming the hole to a diameter of 28 inches.
This work will include the installation of the 24 inch diameter well casing with its screens to a depth of approximately 950 feet.
Update - July 6, 2022
Well drilling began June 17, 2022. Currently the smaller 17.5 inch diameter pilot hole is at close to 850-foot depth.
Once the target depth of 900-feet is reached, operations will switch to water quality sampling which will take place at various depths. This process is critical to identify the best quality water in each aquifer.
At the completion of the testing period there will likely be a period of up to two weeks without the drill rig in operation. Thereafter, the drilling with the 28-inch reamer will commence and the operation will run 24/7 until final depth is reached.
After the drilling process is complete, well development will begin. This process is very important to produce a productive and efficient well. Well development is completed by test pumping the well for a period of up to 400 hours. Fortunately, this process can be completed during normal working hours. However, the last 24 hours of pumping will be continuous.
From start to finish the total process to drill and develop the well is expected to take two to three months.
Update - June 25, 2022
Well drilling has begun at the northeast section of the Heritage Park site. There is equipment and a tower in that area. The contractor has erected sound walls on the north, east and south sides of the drill site. The drilling for this well will take approximately two to three months and will run continuously, twenty-four hours a day - seven days a week until the work is completed. This well will potentially reach a depth of up to 900 feet.
After the drilling process is complete, well development will begin. This process is very important to produce a productive and efficient well. Well development is completed by test pumping the well for a period of 400 hours. Fortunately, this process can be completed during normal working hours. However, the last 24 hours of pumping will be continuous.
Upon completion this well will assist the water supply for the 10 million gallon buried tank on this site.
Drilling for the 900 foot depth well has commenced as of June 23rd and will run non-stop (24/7) for the next 2-3 months.
Initial Start Up
From June 21st to June 23rd the well driller installed a 40 foot casing at the surface of the drill site.