Thursday, October 16 will mark a fantastic moment in time for the City of Wichita with the opening of the WATER Center to enjoy as a premier educational facility with a mission to educate future generations on the effects of environmental contamination and the clean up process. At 1:30 PM on that day citizens will rejoice, as the facility is complete. The official dedication for the Wichita Area Treatment & Remediation (WATER) Center honors the opening of this unique facility. While the clean up efforts of the Gilbert & Mosley Project will be an on-going process for years to come, many rest assured knowing that a the completion of this building indicates the close of yet another chapter in this important book in Wichita’s history.
"The Gilbert & Mosley Project is considered to be one of the most innovative public-private partnerships ever created to solve the complex environmental problem of groundwater contamination," said Mayor Carlos Mayans. "This project has earned the City of Wichita national recognition for its development to avoid Superfund intervention and the impacts upon public health, environmental risks and the local economy." Mayans served on the State Legislature at the time forward-thinking legislation was passed to make the clean up a reality.
The WATER Center consists of park enhancements and educational displays such as a covered public area, restroom facilities, including an aquarium featuring native aquatic plants, fish and other habitat. Educational displays highlight project activities and discuss the importance of protecting the environment. Exhibits are designed to "come to life" thereby enhancing the information and engaging the observer. In addition, the treatment area is now available for public tours.
The City of Wichita received the prestigious Ford Foundation's Innovations in State and Local Government Award from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, for forward-thinking leadership with the will to create revolutionary practices to accomplish community goals.
Since 1991, the City has taken the initiative to clean up contamination in the Gilbert and Mosley area. Once discovered, there was fear of a public health risk including environmental and safety issues for the community. Had the City of Wichita not taken this approach to clean up polluted groundwater, the Old Town District and many other downtown Wichita improvements would not have happened.
The Gilbert & Mosley site encompasses approximately 3,850 acres that contain groundwater contamination. The City of Wichita, with the approval of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) began constructing a groundwater treatment system to begin the remediation of the contaminated groundwater.
The treatment system is installed adjacent to the Education Center located in Herman Hill Park. The Education Center, designed by Gossen and Livingston Architects, is now a premier facility that demonstrates how the polluted water is cleaned, preventative measures for the future of ground water contamination and the interrelationship of ground water to the river system.
The ground water treatment system will remove contaminates by pumping 1.2 million gallons of water a day from 13 wells from the underlying aquifer and pipe the water to a treatment system in Herman Hill Park. The treated water discharges into a meandering creek, other water features, irrigation applications, possible industrial re-use and into the Arkansas River. CDM has served as the engineering design and construction firm for the project.