New 2 1/2-Mile Pipeline, Tubing Support Hanford’s Waste Treatment Plant

RICHLAND, Wash. – EM Richland Operations Office (RL) contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS) recently installed piping and tubing to provide critical water and network data infrastructure to the Hanford Site’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP).

The 2 ½ miles of new piping will deliver drinking and cooling water to various plant systems and facilities supporting the treatment of waste from large underground tanks under the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste Program. Crews will add network fiber-optic lines to the installed tubing later, as the plant gets closer to starting treatment operations.

“Reliable infrastructure supports an increased pace of cleanup as the Hanford Site transitions to 24/7 operations at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant and performs critical remediation work,” said Sharee Dickinson with RL’s infrastructure and services division. “This project offers backup coverage for existing water lines and reduces the risk of an outage.”

Crews cleared each area along the installation route to stage parts before beginning excavations. Once a pipe or tube was placed, crews tested them to make sure they were in working order. After filling in and covering the excavated areas with soil, workers planted native foliage to begin restoring the landscape.

“During the excavation, our team also added a connection that joined with piping already in place, plus made successful repairs to a sewer line in need of work,” said Frank Mendez, project manager for HMIS. “Completing this project ensures WTP will have a reliable source of sanitary water.”