Tampa, FL –– On January 19, 2018, Wharton-Smith’s Tampa-Water/Wastewater Division held a Topping Out Party to mark the completion of the first phase structural work on the Three Oaks Wastewater Treatment Plant Oxidation Ditch Improvements project. More than 70 people attended including representatives from Lee County, the Three Oaks Wastewater Plant and project engineers CDM Smith, as well as subcontractors, vendors and field workers.

In appreciation for a job well done, prizes were raffled off to subcontractors on the job and a barbeque lunch was provided by Dave’s Barbeque.

After lunch, team members participated in a softball game, pitting the County against Contractors. Players for the County included staff from the Three Oaks Plant and CDM Smith. The Contracting team consisted of Wharton-Smith, Poole & Kent, Cogburn Brothers Electric, Honc Construction and Gautier Fabrications.  The Contractors took home the trophy with a 37-7 win, but more importantly, a good time was had by all.

The $25.7 million improvement project for Lee County Utilities will bring the treatment plant capacity up to 6 MGD with the site layout space to expand to 8 MGD in the future. The first phase structural work consisted of the installation of three clarifiers, a 1.5 million gallon oxidation ditch, a new RAS/WAS pump station, a new splitter box, and electrical building.

Wharton-Smith is providing construction management services for the project. Construction is expected to be completed in August 2018.