Foth and Salem Lakes Win Small Project of the Year for Water System Improvements

Foth is proud to announce that our work in partnership with the Village of Salem Lakes has been honored with the Small Project of the Year Award from the Wisconsin Section of the American Water Works Association (WIAWWA). This recognition celebrates creative engineering, community impact, and smart solutions that improve public water systems. Read more about this transformative project:

Project Overview

The Village of Salem Lakes operates a small but important water system that serves a business park, fire department, farmers, contractors, and a railroad. Before the project, the system relied on one well and a 250,000-gallon water tower. This setup created risks due to lack of backup supply, high radium levels, and seasonal water quality issues.

Purpose and Need

• The system lacked a backup water source, creating reliability concerns.
• Elevated radium levels in the existing well posed health and compliance risks.
• Low water turnover in the storage tank led to seasonal water quality issues.
• Anticipated system growth required a scalable and cost-effective solution.

Creative and Innovative Solutions

• A second well was installed near the existing one to optimize infrastructure use and reduce overall costs. Foth worked closely with regulatory agencies to secure the necessary approvals despite space constraints.
• To lower radium levels, Foth designed a custom blending system that mixes water from both wells. This approach eliminated the need for a treatment facility and saved the Village an estimated $1.5 to $2 million.
• To manage seasonal temperature fluctuations, Foth implemented a fully automated flushing system. Integrated with remote monitoring, the system maintains water quality and protects infrastructure without requiring manual operation.

Community Impact

The Salem Lakes water system improvements have significantly enhanced service reliability for local businesses, agricultural operations, emergency services, and other key users. Strengthened fire protection capabilities contribute to greater public safety, while the blending solution for radium reduction supports both public health and environmental sustainability. These upgrades also position the village for future system expansion and regulatory compliance, ensuring long-term resilience and growth.

Collaboration and Success

Foth worked in close partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to secure the essential permits and approvals required for the project. Through effective communication, regulatory coordination, and a collaborative approach, the team successfully addressed site constraints and navigated complex permitting processes to deliver a fully compliant and operational solution.

To learn more about the Wisconsin Section of the American Water Works Association and their mission to support safe, reliable drinking water, visit Wisconsin Section of the American Water Works Association (WIAWWA)