CDE was tasked with the design/build to repair the existing aircraft wash and rinse racks. The wash system that was originally installed did not work properly. The new design incorporates a system that removes the surfacants from the wash water and reuses the water instead of the current system that is supposed to do this but doesn’t function properly so all of the water is currently being processed by the water treatment plant and new potable water is used to wash each plane. The new system will recycle the water and the only new water necessary to be added to the system is water that evaporates or is not captured for processing.

The rinse rack which is adjacent to the runway and rinses each aircraft that passes through the taxiway throat. The current system does not recycle any water and has to use fresh water for each plane, a total of 1,000 gallons per plane with 95 planes being rinsed weekly. This portion of the project entails the demolition of the existing electrical feed and transformer, the pump vault, and storage tank with the replacement with a new transformer in an underground cast-in-place concrete vault (nothing at the site can protrude more than 2” above grade), a new 30’ by 13’ by 10’ deep pump vault, new pumps and water processing equipment for installation inside the vault, new 10,000 gallon oil/water separator, new 5,000 gallon water storage tank, extended trenches and spray bar piping to accommodate larger aircraft, and relining the existing storm water piping that will be connected to the water processing system.

This project had many challenges. The vault that houses all the pump, piping, and electrical had to be constructed underground with no protrusions over 2.5 inches above the runway. CDE designed a complete water proof vault for all pumping systems and a separate containment for the main transformer. All the drains were collected to a sump and dual pumps were installed to ensure that no flooding would occur in the vault. Complete telemetry has been installed to provide warnings and safety control valve isolation in case of hurricane or heavy rain events.

CDE provided complete civil site design that included utilities (water, sewer, storm sewer, communications, and electrical), grading and paving. Pavement included taxiway rigid pavement. Electrical design included transformer design, lighting, and primary and secondary distribution.