Arup, has been awarded the lead engineering role for the Lake Mead No 3 Intake scheme (T&TNA, March p5) that will maintain water system capacity even if the lake water levels decline an additional 100ft (30m) from current levels.
Arup is currently serving as design engineer for Vegas Tunnel Constructors (VTC), a JV between Impregilo and its US subsidiary, SA Healy, with support from Brierly Associates LLC. Don Phillips, VTC’s Design Manager and Project Director for Arup said: “This is a significant and technically advanced assignment for Arup, we are thrilled to be involved.”
The work was awarded by the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), the agency that manages the region’s water resources. SNWA Director of Engineering, Marc Jensen, stressed the importance of the scheme saying: “Successful completion of the project is vital to the reliability of the water supply for Las Vegas.”
As T&TNA goes to press, it is also thought that bids could be imminently advertised the Clean Water Coalition’s (CWC) Systems Conveyance and Operations Program (SCOP), which includes a 7.5-mile (12km) tunnel through River Mountain to discharge treated wastewater into Lake Mead. The CWC comprises Clark County Water Reclamation District, the City of Las Vegas and the City of Henderson, all of whom are responsible for wastewater treatment in the Las Vegas valley.
An Environmental Impact Assessment was completed this Spring and T&TNA has obtained documents indicating an approval could be granted by the end of August. If this timetable is met, calls for bids may be advertised in September, with bids due by the end of the year. The tunnel, which has been designed by Black & Veatch and has a construction estimate of the order of $200 million, could be awarded as soon as early February next year.
