The City of Staunton is proud to announce the completion of the Gardner Springs Pump Station Upgrades Project, a major water infrastructure improvement that significantly strengthens the city’s ability to deliver safe, reliable drinking water for decades to come.
Construction began in February 2023 on the nearly $13 million project, replacing the aging 1940s-era pump station with a modern, elevated facility designed to withstand flooding, power outages, and increasing demands on the water system. The new facility pumps millions of gallons of raw water daily to the city’s water treatment plant, providing a more robust and redundant flow.
The defining feature of the new station is resiliency. The previous station was located within the floodplain and lacked sufficient backup power, leaving the city’s water supply vulnerable during severe weather events.
“This project was about more than just replacing old pipes and pumps; it was about guaranteeing that Staunton residents have reliable access to water, regardless of the weather,” said Director of Public Works Dave Irvin. “If our residents can turn on their taps without ever worrying whether there will be water, or where the water is coming from, we’re doing our jobs.”
Project Highlights:
- Capacity: The new station features four vertical turbine pumps with a total firm capacity of 6 million gallons per day (MGD).
- Resiliency: The 1,490-square-foot structure is built at a higher elevation to withstand flooding events.
- Reliability: A new, integrated 1,500 kW generator ensures the pumps can operate at full capacity during commercial power failures.
- Modernization: The facility includes upgrades to security, lighting, communications, and instrumentation, allowing for improved real-time monitoring.
- Flexibility: The system has the ability to draw from the Middle River as needed, adding redundancy to the water supply.
The project was designed by Wiley|Wilson and constructed by Kiewit Infrastructure South Co.
The city was able to offset a significant portion of the costs thanks to a $5.93 million grant awarded in 2023 by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Office of Drinking Water, using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
“The completion of Gardner Springs is a milestone for our city’s infrastructure, but the financial management of the project is equally important,” said City Manager Leslie Beauregard. “Securing the VDH grant covered nearly half of the project cost. This allowed us to preserve debt capacity and redirect bond funds toward other critically needed water projects, benefiting the entire city’s water distribution system.”
The engineering complexities of building a modern facility next to a river required precise execution.
“The engineering challenge here was unique: we had to build a robust, modern facility right next to a historic water source, while ensuring the construction process didn’t interrupt the city’s daily water supply from an aging facility that had to be kept online until the station was built,” said Senior Project Manager Michael Faulkner. “The result is a facility that is not only functional but is built to stand firm against the elements.”
