Murfreesboro Water Resources Department (MWRD) supplies drinking water to over 135,000+ people across the city of Murfreesboro. With a population that has nearly tripled over the past 30 years, it shows no signs of slowing anytime soon. Since MWRD began supplying water to the city of Murfreesboro in the early 1920’s, the quantity of water supplied has dramatically increased but the overall concept has not changed as some of the original infrastructure on the raw water production side is still in use today. The nearly 130 year old Walter Hill Dam is a National Registered Historical Place and the cornerstone of the source water for production for MWRD. The 50 acre impoundment created by the dam serves as the main source water for the Stones River Water Treatment Plant (SRWTP). Two of the three raw water pump stations that serve the MWRD SRWTP are located on the impoundment of the East Fork of the Stones River that is created by the Walter Hill dam. Of the two pump stations, the primary raw water intake for the plant, is over 55 years old.

As the owner of the Walter Hill Dam, MWRD has the unique responsibility of maintaining both the components of the Stones River Water Treatment Plant as well as the dam. MWRD contracted SSR in January 2017 to begin the design of improvements and rehabilitation to critical infrastructure components of the raw water intake and pump stations for the SRWTP. The overall project was completed in four separate phases to ensure minimal disruption of the 20.0 MGD plant operations. The projects consisted of rehabilitating the dam, replacing the existing traveling screen at the raw water intake, replacing three of the vertical turbine raw water intake pumps, replacing the entire controls system for both pump stations, and rehabilitating the raw water intake channel. The project consisted of various challenges in both design and construction as would be expected with working with infrastructure of this age. Retrofitting new equipment into existing facilities while meeting updated design guidelines, navigating land ownership with the United States Army Corp of Engineers, and completing an instream project while facing above average rainfall totals. The end product ensured the continued longevity of providing safe and quality drinking water to Murfreesboro.