Wylie Water Treatment Plant – BAF Package 2

The Wylie Water Treatment Plant BAF Package 2 project is part of a major upgrade at the North Texas Municipal Water District’s Wylie facility, converting the treatment process to biologically active filtration (BAF). This phase of the plant expansion adds new large-diameter water transmission pipe that connects the existing system to a new chemical treating structure. Northwest Pipe Company supplied 873 LF of 96-inch and 204 LF of 120-inch spiralweld steel pipe for the project, including three InfraShield® Geohazard Resistant Steel Pipe (GRSP) spools. Carollo Engineers served as the project designer, with Belt Construction performing the pipeline installation and concrete work.

The three InfraShield GRSP spools—two 96-inch and one 120-inch—were installed at the vault wall penetrations to address anticipated differential settlement between the concrete structure and yard piping. Rather than relying on flexible or gasketed couplings, the patented InfraShield Joint System was specified as a fully welded alternative that uses a small projection manufactured into the pipe wall to absorb deformation. This strain-based design allows the pipe to safely accommodate movement while maintaining the watertight integrity of the lap-welded joint.

Installation followed a straightforward sequence for the Belt Construction crew. After the concrete slab was poured, the InfraShield pieces were set and braced in position, rebar and wall forms were placed, and the concrete walls were poured. Once the concrete cured and forms were removed, the crew was able to immediately tie in and continue installation of the yard piping without delay. No specialized tools or training were required, and Northwest Pipe Company provided on-site support as needed. The InfraShield pieces are polyurethane coated and lined, and the transition to the cement mortar–lined pipeline was completed without issue.

After using the InfraShield Joint System for the first time, Belt Construction Superintendent Mike Huddleston commented on the installation experience: “It was a pretty neat process and I’m looking forward to doing it again—the biggest advantage is the ease of installation. Compared to gasketed couplings, InfraShield cuts out a lot of the additional hardware and leak points, or any other potential issues that could come up down the road.”