In March 2023, an extraordinary flooding event occurred in the Tulare region of California, following record snowfall in the Sierra Nevada Mountains during the winter of 2022-2023. As a result, a veterinary research facility at a leading educational institution experienced severe flooding. The lab had to be evacuated, and adjacent facilities were also affected.
ATI Partners with Consultants to Remediate Tulare Lake Flooding
Overview
Scope
- Water Damage
- Water Damage Mitigation
- Salvaging
- Debris Removal
- Detailed Cleaning
- HVAC Cleaning
- Selective Demolition
- Disinfection
Solution
ATI partnered with an environmental consultant to devise a systematic approach to expedite this remediation
and restoration project and get employees back into the lab as quickly as possible.
Here are the steps that the ATI team took to restore the lab:
Job Size
The flooding event affected multiple lab facilities, spanning approximately 25,000 square feet. The flooded area covered around 6,000 square feet, including critical areas such as the incinerator space, with water levels reaching up to 30 feet deep.
Project Challenges
Given the amount of flood water, the entire building was underwater, so the ATI team could not observe the affected area. The first step to determine the extent of the damage and prevent additional issues was to extract the water from the basement. The water extraction was a concern, however, because of hydrostatic pressure. If the water was extracted too quickly, it could cause structural damage to the basement, or the basement could collapse entirely. The team also had to ensure that all water discharged met environmental health and safety standards. The facility’s sump pumps were not working because they were filled with sediment, so ATI secured four trash pumps, all operating simultaneously, to extract the debris. Any remaining liquid was removed by sump pumps. Once the water was pumped out, the remaining challenge was removing the four feet of sediment and mud in the basement and cleaning the facility. To complete the work, the team also had to remove and clean complex equipment and systems, including electrical panels and conduits.
Conclusion
Despite considerable challenges, the project was completed in approximately 3.5 months, allowing the lab to resume its important research and teaching activities. The dedication and expertise of the ATI Restoration team, while utilizing a cooperative contract with OMNIA Partners, played a crucial role in the efficient remediation and restoration of the flooded lab facilities.
