A worker on the Hanford Site delivers a pump for a modernization project that will upgrade the Hanford Site’s untreated water system to meet increased demands during future 24/7 tank waste treatment operations and critical risk-reduction cleanup.
A worker on the Hanford Site delivers a pump for a modernization project that will upgrade the Hanford Site’s untreated water system to meet increased demands during future 24/7 tank waste treatment operations and critical risk-reduction cleanup.

RICHLAND, Wash. – Workers will soon begin testing and commissioning upgrades to one of two water systems on the Hanford Site to ensure the site’s infrastructure will support long-term cleanup activities, including the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) program for treating tank waste and other risk-reduction cleanup.

Managed by EM contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS), the project includes new pumps, piping, valves, and electrical infrastructure for Hanford’s untreated water system, which processes 400 million gallons a year. A key upgrade adds on-demand pumping, which improves energy efficiency and the service life of equipment.

The project also includes a number of updated technologies for improved monitoring and control of water flow and detection of system equipment problems, and a new local area network dedicated to system automation and control. The site's two water systems — one for untreated water and the other for treated water — are independent of each other. The treated water system is working effectively. 

“This system upgrade supports a number of facilities and activities on the Hanford Site, including fire suppression capabilities for the Central Plateau, a high-priority cleanup location,” said Jeffrey Frey, DOE assistant manager for mission support at Hanford. “DOE is on the verge of treating Hanford’s tank waste, when the demand for water will increase, and these upgrades will ensure a reliable water supply for the entire mission at the site.”

Workers lift a new pump into a reservoir on the Hanford Site as part of planned upgrades to the site’s untreated water system.
Workers lift a new pump into a reservoir on the Hanford Site as part of planned upgrades to the site’s untreated water system.

Prior to the planned automation, HMIS workers operated most pumps and support components manually. Following the upgrades, workers will be able to monitor water system components using a control room computer, and they will receive updates via text message or email when in the field.

“This water project will be the first at Hanford to include a new instrumentation control system tied to a dedicated local area network,” said Diane Cato, vice president of engineering, technology, and projects for HMIS. “We will be able to detect equipment problems earlier, complete maintenance before a large system failure, and reduce downtime to ensure the water system is ready to support 24/7 operations at the Hanford Site.”

The new system will begin initial operations this year, with full startup operations planned by 2022.