Moose Creek Water Expansion

Projects

Client

City of North Pole

Timeline

2018–2021

Location

North Pole & Moose Creek, Alaska

Construction workers in safety vests operate machinery and manage large pipes in a deep excavation site surrounded by heavy equipment and vehicles, with trees and a blue sky in the background.
Four large industrial pumps with yellow motors and black pipes are installed on concrete bases inside a mechanical room with cinder block walls and exposed ductwork. A ceiling-mounted hoist is overhead.
Rows of large industrial pumps and pipes in a mechanical room with concrete walls, visible wiring, gauges, and a ventilation fan on the wall. A red pressure tank and cardboard box are also present.
A small industrial facility with blue metal buildings, a large cylindrical tank, a horizontal white fuel tank, two portable toilets, and utility pipes, all set on a dirt lot under a clear blue sky.

Restoring Safe, Permanent Drinking Water for a Community Impacted By PFAS

Clean Water When a Community Needed It Most

When PFAS were identified in private wells serving the Moose Creek community near Eielson Air Force Base, access to drinking water became a shared concern for residents and agencies alike. Temporary measures, including delivered water and point-of-use filtration, were quickly put in place while a permanent, long-term solution was developed to protect public health and support the community’s future.

That long-term solution required speed, coordination, and infrastructure designed for Interior Alaska’s demanding conditions. Working with the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the City of North Pole, RESPEC evaluated current and future water demands, assessed system capacity, and reviewed routing options and land status. Extending North Pole’s municipal water system emerged as the most reliable and sustainable approach, with the U.S. Air Force committing to fund design and construction.

RESPEC provided Construction Documents and permitting necessary to upgrade North Pole’s water treatment plant and system to support the expanded service area. The project included upgrading the City wells and water treatment plant, constructing a new pumphouse and storage tank, installing approximately 18 miles of transmission and distribution mains, building more than 200 new water service connections, completing over 30 easements and property acquisitions, and obtaining permits from 11 local, state, and federal agencies—all delivered on an accelerated schedule.

To address both cost and cold-region performance, RESPEC developed an innovative out-and-back transmission main design. Using a single pipeline with controlled flow reversal and storage, the system maintains circulation and freeze protection while reducing material quantities, construction complexity, and long-term maintenance needs.

Designed to Last, Delivered Under Pressure

From concept to bid package in roughly 12 months, the Moose Creek Water Expansion restored access to clean, potable water for the community and strengthened North Pole’s regional water system. Construction was completed on schedule, major infrastructure came online in 2020, and well upgrades followed in 2021.

The project delivered durable infrastructure, protected public health, and helped ensure Moose Creek remains a livable, resilient community. In recognition of this work, the project received the 2022 American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Engineering Excellence Award.