Project Details
The Cape Fear River Waterline Crossing Project extended potable waterlines from the entrance to Fort Caswell to the existing water tank on Bald Head Island.
The project also extended new waterlines to serve all the existing facilities inside of historic Fort Caswell.
In order to maintain adequate working pressure, a 1250 GPM booster pump station was installed on the mainland at Fort Caswell. The waterline was installed under the Cape Fear River using a combination of sled trench method and directional bores under the maintained shipping channel of the Cape Fear River.
Challenge
Due to project constraints, the directional bore was accomplished on barges anchored in the river. The project was performed in conjunction with Duke Energy’s replacement of the main electrical feeder lines to Bald Head Island.
Cape Fear Engineering worked closely with several entities that included Bald Head Island Utility Company, The Village of Bald Head Island, Duke Energy, NC Baptist Assembly, the Town of Caswell Beach and Brunswick County Utilities. The Village of Bald Head Island owns and operates the improvements from the booster pump station to the water tank on the island and Brunswick County Utility Department owns and operates the new improvements from the entrance to Fort Caswell to the booster pump station.
Responsibilities + Solutions
Cape Fear Engineering was responsible for project management, planning, designing and permitting all improvements which included almost 6-miles of total waterlines, master meter, booster pump station and a new disinfection process for Bald Head Island Utility’s water treatment plant to match the process that Brunswick County Utility uses in their treatment process.
Permitting and regulatory approvals required for this project included Waterline Extension, Stormwater and Erosion Control with NCDEQ, USACE Nationwide permits, US Coast Guard approval and Coastal Area Management Act permitting. Several permanent easements for the new facilities were secured with NC Baptist Assembly, various entities on Bald Head Island and the State of North Carolina for the crossing of the Cape Fear River.
Cape Fear Engineering also provided full project management and construction administration services in addition to performing periodic construction inspections and preparing as-builts, certifications and OMSI for project closeout.