Springfield Water Supply Pump Station (C2)

3D Satellite

While researching the Western Avenue Pump Station, I learned about the Springfield Pump Station. There is quite a bit of information on it because, of the four steam powered pump stations, this one has been converted from steam to electricity. This satellite image caught the plant after the two new buildings with the green and solar panel roofs had been built but before the chimney had been dismantled at the end of 2015.

Ryerson & Burnham Libraries

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

The station was built in 1901. It had a building to add chlorine because it was supplying water to the water mains before the Jardine Purification Plant was built. The chlorine building was one of the buildings that was removed to make room for the new electrical equipment buildings. The boilers originally used coal, but they were converted to natural gas with fuel oil backup in 1953-54. The stack that was recently dismantled was 240' high with a 9.75' top diameter. It was built in 1948. [AECOM]

AECOM, Slide 6

The station has five horizontal centrifugal pumps, 3@80mgd (I assume million gallons per day) and 2@60mgd. They were driven by variable speed steam turbines to support pump-on-demand operation. That is, there is no water storage (water towers) in the distribution system. The turbines were replaced with variable frequency drive motors: 3@3250hp and 2@2250 hp. There are five 2000 kW diesel standby generators. [AECOM]

The conversion cost was estimated at $64.6m and will reduce carbon emissions by 17,380 tons per year. "Electricity will come from two separate ComEd sub-stations, to ensure redundancy and reliability." The green roof and solar panels are to help obtain LEED-certification. [CityOfChicago] (LEED = Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design [AECOM])

SlidePlayer, Slide 20

The cost was at least $73m. The estimated annual savings is $4.5m due to reduced energy, maintenance & personnel savings. After conversion, the plant can be operated remotely. [SlidePlayer, Slide 20]

Since this is the only conversion that has been completed so far, this Meccon article should be about this station. The second photo below is consistent with this station. But the first photo and the details are either from a different station or the plans described above changed significantly.

Meccon
Finished Product – Five 48 x 32 Water Pumps reconditioned and drives converted from steam turbine to 4200HP electric motors

Meccon
New 40,000 square foot electric building for pumping station. Includes 3-fuel powered electric generators and 5-VFD's for new motors

William Smiljanich posted

Iconic smokestack of the Springfield Avenue Pumping Station at Springfield Ave and Bloomingdale Ave to be taken down to reduce the station's carbon footprint. This is all part of a multimillion update and renovation of the pumping station. Good news is that when they are done, they city will renovate and expand Beilfuss Park, next door.

http://www.gwpc.org/…/default/files/event-…/22Hall_Steve.pdf
[The conversion of the pumping station has already happened and is described above. ]

William Smiljanich Just west of the 606 trailhead.
William Smiljanich Thanks Val. Sadly that chimney will be gone soon.
[This comment was made five years ago. But a current satellite image shows that it is still standing.]
Al Moreno That's awesome , yeah it spews a black soot onto cars, so it can't be good to breath in! Glad it's going away. And the expanded park will be nice in addition to the bike trail on the train !
[The photo was taken west of this signalling bridge looking East. ]

Val Gintter commented on William's post
Here's a shot I took in 1950 in the opposite direction from Lawndale Avenue. I took it with a Kodak Baby Brownie Special (designed by Walter Teague). Note the commuter train about to turn south onto the main line.