A Small Bridge and a Big Milestone: Construction Update January 2025

When building a new water treatment plant adjacent to a century-old facility that’s still in operation, a solid Maintenance of Plant Operations (MOPO) plan is paramount to project success. Most of what’s happening on site this month is part of ensuring that the old West Parish Filters continue to operate without interruption while upgrades are made over the next several years.

Above: An excavator and wheel loader fly in oak tracking mats to create a temporary road for heavy equipment.

As part of the MOPO plan, this month crews continued building a temporary road along the northern perimeter of the site, where the old sand filter structures are still in service. This is one precaution to protect the existing utilities in the ground when running heavy equipment for construction.

Location of Bridge 4, a one-lane bridge built in the 1950s at the northwest corner of the property. (Satellite image from Google Maps.)

Crews also reinforced Bridge 4, a small concrete bridge over Cook Brook, to support heavier loads during construction. This task included the first concrete pour of the project, and leaders from Walsh Construction were there to mark the milestone with a longstanding company tradition. 

Above: Staff from Walsh Construction perform a ceremonial tradition at the first pour of concrete on the new West Parish Water Treatment Plant project.

As a ceremonial kickoff to the project, a Walsh engineer, superintendent, project manager, and assistant project manager took a moment to toss “Miraculous Medals” into the first yard of concrete poured at the New West Parish plant. According to Walsh, the medals are “an inspiration for the workers to finish the job safely and to make it as miraculous as the Medal itself.”

Chris Brosseau, who is overseeing construction for Hazen, said it was a powerful moment.

“At times construction becomes routine, at least for us guys who do it every day,” he said. “But this in particular is something different and meaningful.”

Walsh leadership feels it is important to continue this tradition as a “reminder of devotion to a project, a job site, a company, and a family.”

Above: After placing concrete at Bridge 4, a sub-contractor smooths the surface with a bull float.

Thousands more yards of concrete will be poured as plant construction gets underway in 2025. May each pour be as safe and successful as this one!