More Efficient Production of Safe Drinking Water at The Eugene Sawyer Water Purification Plant

The Eugene Sawyer Water Purification Plant on Chicago’s South Side was the first water filtration plant built in the City of Chicago, and the largest such plant in the world when it was completed in 1947. It provides more than a billion gallons of fresh drinking water daily to millions of residents of the city and surrounding suburbs.

Over a four-year period, GEC was selected as the prime consultant on a $4 million renovation of the plant’s boiler room. Our team provided design services for the replacement of the existing steam boiler with a far more energy-efficient, decentralized hot-water system composed crypto rocket of three mechanical rooms and dual-fuel boilers. This enables the hot water to be pumped directly into the existing system and reusing the existing hot-water infrastructure. Each boiler uses natural gas as the primary fuel.

The project also included the addition of a de-icing system involving two additional steam boilers; radiant heaters for the Filter Building; ventilation and heating for the boiler room, control room, and offices; a new air handling unit with hot water heating coils for the auditorium and lobby; and other upgrades.