As part of their Senior Design capstone course, Civil and Environmental Engineering students provided analysis, recommendations, designs, and costs for extending West Branch's sanitary sewer trunk line to meet the needs of the growing community.

The City of West Branch expects continued residential growth that will require expanded and reliable wastewater infrastructure. To support this development, the student engineering team designed a sanitary sewer trunk line to serve land located on the western edge of the city. The primary objective of the project was to connect the area to the existing wastewater treatment system while providing sufficient capacity for long-term expansion.

The design process included a site visit, surface modeling, and hydraulic analysis using Autodesk Civil 3D. The team developed wastewater flow estimates  in accordance with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wastewater Facilities Design Standards, and determined pipe sizing following Iowa SUDAS criteria. Based on hydraulic capacity, constructability, and long-term growth considerations, the team recommended a new 15-inch sanitary sewer trunk line approximately 6,700 feet in length. The system includes 23 pipe segments and 24 manholes, with spacing consistent with SUDAS requirements. 

The final design provides service to the initial development of the parcel and allows for substantial future expansion. In addition to the evaluation and report, the team provided a final presentation, poster, and cost estimates.