Water Resources & Wastewater Projects
New Water Treatment Plant
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Midwest provided construction administration for a new 6.0 MGD water treatment plant (WTP) serving over 12,000 people across 20 entities near Fredonia, Kansas. The new facility replaced an aging, flood-prone plant that faced operational challenges, including outdated equipment, high turbidity levels, and insufficient storage and distribution capacity.
Under an agreement with PWWSD No. 23, Danny oversaw the construction, offering daily observation, materials testing, documentation, and project management support. The upgraded WTP, with over 1,000 horsepower of pumps, three miles of large-diameter waterlines, and over a million gallons of storage, now meets current and future demands, including potential system expansions.
Western Expansion Merger Project
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25 Mile Merger Between Three Entities
In 2018, PWWSD No. 23 enlisted Danny Coltrane to amend a prior USDA project report to extend water supply service to the City of Howard and Elk County RWD No. 2, successfully securing USDA funding. Midwest Engineering Group was contracted to provide full consulting services—including design, permitting, easement acquisition, and construction administration—for a 28-mile supply waterline featuring a triplex booster pump station and a 400,000-gallon elevated storage tank. The project included various pipe sizes, master meter and valve control vaults, fire hydrants, flushing assemblies, SCADA systems, and multiple utility crossings. Once completed, it enabled PWWSD No. 23 to serve as the primary water supplier for the new service areas, despite challenges such as material delays and subsurface rock.
Comprehensive Water System Improvements
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Midwest Engineering provided comprehensive consulting services to develop a Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) for a new 1 MGD water treatment plant, water storage, booster pumps, and distribution system, aligning with state and federal funding requirements. The PER included budgeting, financial analysis, and present worth comparisons to help the city secure favorable 40-year financing at 2.125% interest and grant funding. Using GIS data, city records, KDHE design standards, and other documentation, Midwest evaluated the existing systems and designed improvements including well rehabilitation, clarifiers, filters, chemical feed systems, SCADA controls, and a backup generator. The project also includes replacing all non-PVC water lines to comply with new EPA lead and copper rules. Midwest is providing full design, bidding, and construction phase services, including on-site construction observation, and helped the city secure over $16.6 million in funding through USDA Rural Development.
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The City of Chanute owns and operates its own water utility, serving more than 9,000 residents. Water treatment and distribution have been central to the city’s history since 1894, and elements of that legacy remain in use today—most notably a valve installed in 1922 that was discovered during a 2012 repair and is still operational. While this history is a point of civic pride, portions of the water treatment plant are aging and require maintenance and upgrades.
Midwest provided consulting engineering services to develop a Professional Engineering Report (PER) evaluating rehabilitation alternatives for the City’s existing water treatment plant. The PER included a financial and rate review, demographic analysis, and population projections, and was sufficiently comprehensive to support the pursuit of private funding. A CMAR agreement with Crossland initiated construction in November 2024. To align with the City’s financial capacity, improvements to the Clearwell, High Service Pumps, and Disinfection systems were deferred. The current phase focuses on Raw Water Pumps, Clarifier, and Chemical Feed improvements, with Midwest providing design, construction administration, and RPR services.
Wastewater Treatment Plant
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Chanute is addressing inflow and infiltration (I&I) issues in its wastewater collection system, with rates above KDHE recommended limits. Anticipating stricter regulations, Midwest is assisting the City in creating a 5–7-year strategic plan to collect system data, identify deficiencies, and prioritize repairs. Immediate efforts include spot repairs and phased infrastructure upgrades—such as lift station rehabilitation and line replacement. Longer-term improvements will focus on private-side I&I mitigation and upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant’s core systems, all aligned with updated KDHE permit requirements and flow data.
Water Treatment Plant Improvements
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Midwest Engineering Group provided consulting services to Rural Water District No. 2 in Miami County, Kansas, to evaluate and plan comprehensive upgrades to its water treatment plant (WTP). What began as a project to replace the aging above-ground Clearwell expanded into a $38 million, multi-phase improvement plan addressing discharge flow rates, treatment processes, and storage needs. Phase I ($5M) is complete, and construction on Phase II ($16M) is underway, with completion expected in 2025. These upgrades will expand the WTP’s capacity from its current 6.0 MGD—originally built in 1984 and expanded in 1998—to 12 MGD to meet increasing demand. The existing treatment process includes high-rate clarification, a contact basin, and filtration, and Phase III planning is under consideration.
RWD No. 2 supplies treated water across 300 square miles in northern Miami County and neighboring areas, serving multiple cities and rural water districts. The distribution system is made up of 2-inch to 30-inch ductile iron and PVC piping, with six high service pumps at the treatment plant providing a firm pumping capacity of 6 MGD.
Multiple Waterline Improvement Projects (RWD8)
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Midwest Engineering provided consulting services to Allen RWD No. 8 for two waterline improvement projects aimed at addressing low water pressure. The first project involved upgrading approximately 5 miles of 3” waterline to 6” CL200 PVC main and 0.5 miles to 2” CL200 PVC. Midwest handled design plans, permitting with KDHE, and construction phase services including contract management, inspections, pay estimates, and as-built documentation.
The second project upgraded 3.5 miles of 2.5” waterline to 6” PVC and included installation of tracer wire, gate valves, fire hydrants, clean-outs, and various utility crossings. Midwest performed similar duties as in the first project and provided construction observation services for the district throughout the process.
Multiple Waterline Improvement Projects (RWD4)
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Neosho RWD No. 4 maintains a 354-mile water distribution network serving 1,247 meters across Neosho, Labette, and Wilson counties. Midwest Engineering Group has provided ongoing consulting services based on a long-standing master plan to address system issues such as pressure loss and water leakage. Recent projects include the Trego and Elk Road Improvements, which involved 5.5 miles of new 4” HDPE waterline funded through ARPA, and the Ottawa and Elk Road Waterline Upgrades, replacing aging 2” lines with over 4.7 miles of 4” PVC to improve capacity and service reliability. Additional projects include the Pratt Road upgrade to address low pressure, the installation of a 1.4-mile supply line extension along Elk Road, and a system-wide hydraulic model update and master plan to optimize performance and reduce water loss.Currently, Midwest is working on a district wide 148-mile Loop and Branch Line Improvements Project to replace aging 1965 infrastructure. The project includes installing a mix of 2” to 8” waterlines, a triplex booster pump station, a 400,000-gallon elevated tank, and numerous crossings and appurtenances. Engineering services provided include design, permitting, environmental mitigation, easement acquisition, and construction observation & administration. These coordinated upgrades are designed to increase water pressure, expand capacity, and position the district for sustainable future growth.
Water Treatment Plant: Comprehensive Plan & PER
Sanitary Sewer Collection System Improvements
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The City of Garnett experienced recurring sewer collection system issues due to root intrusion and manhole overflows during heavy rain events, resulting in violations of effluent and holding time limits. The City was spending approximately $100,000 annually on repairs and short pipe lining. Through a USDA Predevelopment Planning Grant, Midwest Engineering Group completed a Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) that evaluated the entire system, including financial analysis and multiple improvement alternatives. Flow analysis using five years of data identified a peak inflow rate multiplier of 8.4, indicating significant inflow and infiltration (I/I). To avoid costly upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant, the PER recommended replacing clay tile collection lines and brick manholes dating back to 1910, which represent 52% of the system.
While the City evaluated its financial capacity, Midwest conducted GIS mapping of the entire system and inspected all manholes to prioritize improvements. The assessment organized repairs into two phases based on manhole condition. Phase I identified 65 brick manholes in critical or poor condition and 37 deteriorating pre-cast manholes, where like-kind replacement or repair would significantly reduce I/I. Midwest also assisted the City in securing placement on the State Revolving Fund (SRF) Intended Use Plan with $2 million in loan forgiveness. This targeted approach avoided approximately $800,000 in additional study costs for CCTV inspection, smoke testing, and flow monitoring, while also saving roughly $1M by delaying repairs over two years and preventing additional study costs.
Sanitary Sewer System Improvements
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Midwest Engineering Group has provided engineering services to the City of Altamont for many years. In 2022, field inspectors completed GIS mapping for both the gas and sewer utilities, expanding the City’s Subsurface GIS database to include inspection notes for all 159 manholes and approximately 10.5 miles of sewer collection lines. This effort created a more comprehensive and accessible record of system conditions to support planning and maintenance.
Midwest also prepared a Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) evaluating the sanitary sewer system based on population trends and four years of flow data. The analysis found a peak inflow rate multiplier of 5.0, indicating excessive inflow and infiltration (I/I). Without mitigation, the lagoons would require expansion. The PER recommended improvements including replacement of two lift stations, 33,890 feet of clay tile collection lines, and 70 brick manholes. (73% of the system.) Multiple funding opportunities are currently being pursued to support these upgrades.
Transportation Projects
Road Bridge Replacement
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Oakland Road Bridge No. 154003 Replacement
This project involved providing design, bidding and construction administration/observation services for replacing a damaged bridge with a new single-span precast box beam bridge. Located on Oakland Road, the replacement structure spans 34 feet and features eight adjacent precast concrete box beams (15" x 34"). The bridge is supported by reinforced concrete abutments on spread footings, ensuring stability and durability. The bridge replacement removed a flow bottleneck, letting water pass more freely and reducing erosion and road washouts. These improvements made the roadway safer and more accessible for vehicles.
Streambank Stabilization
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Moniteau Creek Streambank Stabilization
This project involved the design, bidding, and construction oversight for streambank stabilization along Moniteau Creek near Clarksburg Drive to protect an adjacent roadway. The work included realigning the stream and implementing structural and vegetative erosion control measures, such as 10 bend-way weirs and Longitudinal Peak Stone Toe Protection (LPSTP), to redirect flow and reduce bank erosion. Native vegetation was also planted to provide long-term stability and ecological benefits. The project delivered a sustainable solution that safeguarded infrastructure while preserving the natural function of the creek.
Retaining Wall Bank Stabilization
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Ferry Road
This project included design, bidding and construction administration for the installation of a block retaining wall along the north roadway embankment within the County right-of-way. The retaining wall was necessary to stabilize the embankment and reduce bank sloughing adjacent to a nearby residence. Due to limited excavation options, the wall incorporated soil anchorage to enhance stability.The final structure consists of precast modular retaining wall blocks, with heights varying from 5'-4" to 10'-8", spanning 116 linear feet. A 4-foot chain-link fence was installed along the top of the wall to improve safety. The resident’s drainage system was redirected to discharge away from the wall. This project effectively stabilized the embankment, protecting both the roadway and nearby property while ensuring long-term safety and resilience for the community.
Aluminum Box Culvert
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Midwest Engineering Group worked with Cooper County after a FEMA declared disaster damaged an existing 7' x 12' CMP. The existing CMP’s invert separated, causing debris to collect and block flow. Midwest served as the Engineer of Record for the project and replaced the structure with a 16'-2" wide, 5'-1" tall, 56'-0" long bottomless Aluminum Box Culvert (ALBC) supported on concrete spread-footings with aluminum headwalls and wing walls. The bottomless aspect of the new ALBC eliminated the debris collection issue and allowed for a natural stream bed. To accommodate the stream’s abrupt turn of flow at discharge, the ALBC was rotated and skewed wing walls were used to parallel roadway for ditch flows. The ALBC assembles quickly to reduce road closure delays which was convenient for local farmers and residents. Midwest provided hydraulic analysis, structure sizing, site design, prepared bid/construction documents and construction administration/observation for the County.
County-Funded Emergency Bridge Replacement
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Sycamore Creek Bridge No. 6000005
Boone County received a call regarding a deteriorated bridge to a subdivision, but neither the State nor County had any record of it. After reviewing the structure, it was closed to traffic and the adjacent low water crossing was the subdivision’s only access. With replacement being a high priority, Boone County and Midwest Engineering Group, LLC worked together to quickly design, bid and construct a new bridge structure. Midwest was able to utilize Boone County’s survey data to coordinate, design permit, and prepare final construction documents in approximately 3 months. The new 36' long bridge passes the 25-year flood event and consists of precast concrete box girders, protective topping slab, geosynthetic reinforced soil approaches and concrete vertical abutments. The County was able to complete construction and open to traffic within the year.
Sinkhole Remediation & Culvert Installation
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A sinkhole along Rodeo Drive caused the roadway to be flooded in large rainfalls and its erosion encroached the roadway. Midwest worked with a geotechnical engineer and contractor to fill a void under the roadway with 18 cubic yards of flow-able grout to stabilize the roadway. Once stabilized, the area was drained and a culvert installed under Rodeo Drive and an adjacent west field consisting of approximately 402 linear feet of 36" diameter dual-wall HDPE pipe, 32 linear feet of 30" diameter dual-wall HDPE pipe, two riser inlets (12" & 30") and attachments along with filling the adjacent sinkhole. Shortly after project completion, the area received a large rainfall, which was handled as designed and allowed traffic to pass safely.
Roadway Repair & Asphalt Overlay
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Midwest Engineering Group served as Engineer of Record and awarded this 3-mile roadway repair and overlay project to Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. to improve Old Highway 50, previously granted from MoDOT to Cooper County. The 1950's concrete and asphalt roadway was in severe need of repair due to joint failures, surface deterioration, drainage and safety. A two-phase approach was developed that allowed significant cost savings to the County:
Phase I included joint repairs with an overlay. Phase II will include an additional overlay, drainage improvements, and shoulder addition for safety. Although the Phase I repair method was new to the Contractor, it was performed successfully and quickly under Construction Observation services provided by Midwest. Working as a team, we were able to complete the project prior to seasonal temperature changes and provide local residents with little construction interference.