Temporary Draining of Guilford Reservoir

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During the week of March 7, 2011, the Baltimore City Department of Public Works will begin to drain the Guilford Reservoir, located across Cold Spring Lane from Loyola University near Charles Street. The reservoir will be taken out of service for up to seven weeks to allow a small crew and equipment to enter the basin over the northeast portion of the embankment on March 14 or shortly thereafter.

This will entail temporarily removing a small section of fencing at the equipment access point. Tests will be performed using a small bulldozer and a drill mounted on an all-terrain vehicle, both of which will remain within the reservoir perimeter throughout the four- to six-week investigation period. The project is part of Baltimore City’s plan to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements to improve water quality and protect finished water reservoirs. In this instance, it will ultimately involve installation of covered tanks in place of the open reservoir.

The geotechnical team will drill 8-inch diameter subsurface borings 35 to 70 feet into the bottom of the reservoir at locations which will help to determine wherethe buried tanks ultimately will be constructed. Diesel engines and the sound of the hammer will be audible intermittently during the workday. The hours of work typically will be between 7:30 a.m., to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Once the tests are complete and the equipment removed, the reservoir will be refilled and restored to service and the fence replaced. During the period that the reservoir is out of service, the Guildford Pumping Station will be supplied using a by-pass main, ensuring no interruption in service to area residents and the larger system.

After the borings are obtained, the reservoir will remain operational, except for periodic maintenance, until construction of buried tanks begins in late 2013 or early 2014.

The Department of Public Works, Bureau of Water and Wastewater, continues to work closely with the Guilford, Kernewood, and Loyola University communities on specific tank placement, proposed slopes, landscaping and other related issues.

Information about the project has been made available through public meetings conducted over the past two years. For more information, contact the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Water and Wastewater, at 410-396-3500.
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