Dellwood Drainage Pump Station
Keeping the Pumps Clear When the Water Rises
In Slidell, drainage infrastructure has to perform when conditions are at their worst. The Dellwood Drainage Pump Station Improvements project strengthened an existing City of Slidell facility by addressing a persistent operational problem: debris carried by stormwater could reach the pumps, creating maintenance demands and risking downtime when the system was needed most. RNGD delivered a focused set of civil, structural, steel, electrical, and mechanical improvements that help the station move water more reliably.
The central upgrade was a new through-flow screening system. Rather than replacing the pump station, the project added a protective layer ahead of the pumps that separates debris from runoff. The work also created safe access for the City’s maintenance team, reinforced the basin, and upgraded supporting power and electrical infrastructure. The result is a practical improvement built around the people who operate the station and the community that depends on it.
Building the Support System Around the Screens
RNGD’s work began inside an active basin with a tightly connected sequence of scopes. Crews prepared the site, managed water, excavated to subgrade, installed deep foundations, formed and placed structural concrete, and built the foundation for the screening equipment. The basin improvements included slope paving and a steel sheet pile retaining wall with a concrete cap, creating a durable working environment around the new system.
Above the foundation, RNGD fabricated and installed the large steel access structure, including walkways, handrails, and miscellaneous components needed to operate and service the screens. A new generator and electrical upgrades strengthened the facility’s supporting systems. Each element had to align with the next, from foundation elevations to steel fit-up and equipment access, because small conflicts in the basin could have created major field delays.
Solving Constructability Before It Reached the Field
The original design called for concrete and timber piling, but the basin’s confined conditions and limited overhead clearance made conventional installation impractical. RNGD worked with Thompson Engineering to develop a helical-pile alternative that could be installed within the available space. That decision changed the approach to excavation, forming, foundation work, and sequencing, while preserving the structural intent of the design.
The team paired that solution with early digital coordination. RNGD’s survey group modeled the project roughly three months before field mobilization. By doing so, RNGD developed its own steel fabrication models. Those models were shared with the design team to identify clashes, confirm dimensions, and resolve fit issues before steel reached the site. Multiple rounds of shop-drawing coordination reduced field measurement, avoided rework, and gave the installation team a clearer path through a complex work area.
Water management remained a constant challenge. Rainwater repeatedly entered the basin, so crews combined sandbags, block-outs, a six-inch diesel pump operating around the clock, and smaller electric pumps. Weekend monitoring kept the excavation and concrete work protected. At the same time, the team coordinated around high-voltage overhead lines, underground gas service, and tree canopies, with Cleco and Atmos Energy involved when work approached their systems.
A More Maintainable Station, Delivered Ahead of Plan
The completed project gives the City of Slidell a cleaner, safer, and more maintainable path for moving stormwater through the Dellwood station. The through-flow screens intercept debris before it reaches the pumps, while the steel access structure allows maintenance personnel to operate and service the equipment from a purpose-built platform. Basin, retaining, power, and electrical upgrades support that core function.
RNGD completed the work under budget and significantly ahead of schedule. That outcome grew from early collaboration among the City, Thompson Engineering, RNGD, and utility providers. The project shows how disciplined preplanning and a constructible alternative can improve an existing public asset without replacing the infrastructure that already works. At Dellwood, the team’s decisions above and below the waterline created a more dependable system for the next storm.
DeSaix Bridge Demolition and Reconstruction
The completed bridge adds four travel lanes and pedestrian paths.
