Located 40 miles north and west of Denver, Colorado, the City of Longmont was rapidly outgrowing its infrastructure.  In August of 2003, the joint venture team of Western Summit Constructors, Inc. (WSCI) and Black & Veatch, and the City of Longmont broke ground to begin building a new 30 mgd treatment plant (expandable to 60 mgd) that would eventually replace one of the City's older facilities.  

The City initiated the project to address projected growth over the next 20 years and provide high-quality drinking water that would not only meet current standards, but anticipated regulations in the future.

On December 3, 2005, the Longmont WTP was officially dedicated and named the Nelson-Flanders Water Treatment Plant honoring two prominent gentlemen that helped form the Longmont Water Board over three decades ago. 

Milt Nelson served on the Water Board for the first two decades it existed and was chairman for 18 of those years.  Larry Flanders helped form that same Water Board, serving for 23 years and also practiced water law in Colorado for many decades.  They both were instrumental in a number of community projects and policies over the years that acted as a benchmark for the future.  Their combined efforts over their careers will benefit the citizens of this area for decades to come. 

The Nelson-Flanders WTP is the largest public works project ever completed by the City of Longmont. The plant’s construction price was originally set at $42.3 million but because of innovation allowed in the design-build methodology, the cost ended up closer to $41.7 million.    The design-build procurement method also provided flexibility within the schedule and allowed the team to be more creative with constructability solutions during the design process. 

The plant was designed with the future in mind with much of the new infrastructure already in place and sized for expansion to 60 mgd.  It was also designed so the entire plant could be run by one single operator.  The finished plant is a marvel of concrete, steel pipes and cavernous spaces and easily spans the size of a football field. Larry Wyeno, Project Manager for the City of Longmont, claims, “This joint venture team has demonstrated a high level of experience in design-build with their ability to coordinate and maintain the project schedule and within a fixed budget, while providing flexibility in the design and construction of this facility.  They have maintained an effective professional working relationship by embracing the concept of partnering with the City.  The City has been impressed with the design-build team’s commitment to safety and the quality of this project.”

Western Summit’s Project Manager, Steve Bosshart replies, “The project’s success was a team effort. Working with an active owner, like the City of Longmont, allowed for a seamless design-build project. This is a showcase project and Western Summit is proud to be a part of its success.