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SEWER WORK ON TRACK
Union section will be done by month’s end
Sewer
A temporary wastewater line is in the middle of Union Road while the pipe that was put in place 20 feet below more than a half century ago are relined to extend its useful life for at least another 50 years. - photo by DENNIS WYATT

The temporary 30-inch pipeline carrying wastewater down the middle of Union Road will be gone by the end of the month.

It is part of a $2.8 million sewer line rehab effort launched after a section of the line failed last year near Union Road and Alameda Street threatening the integrity of the road way.

Altogether 1.6 miles of existing sewer pipe is being lined from a lift station between the golf course and the Morezone Baseball Field that then goes to Union Road in alignment with Eucalyptus Street, then heads north along Union to Louise Avenue, and then heads east along Louise Avenue to Crestwood Avenue. The sewer line had sustained significant corrosion and loss of concrete material due to exposure of hydrogen sulfide within the 30-inch reinforced concrete pipe.

The project was a pre-emptive move to avoid further collapses.

“We came across another section that was starting to fail as the work was being done,” Public Works Director Mark Houghton noted.

Traditional pipe replacement using deep excavation was not recommended due to the considerable traffic flow on Union Road and Louise Avenue. Traffic disruption with the current endeavor is limited and immediate reopening of the sewer main can take place once the liner is cured. A cured-in-place liner will provide the city with a reliable pipe with an expected useful life of 50 years.  

The traditional 20-foot trenching required to remove and replace pipe would have extended the project for months that is targeted to be finished by the end of July.

It also avoided doing significant cuts on Louise Avenue where more than $1 million in corridor and pavement upgrades were made two years ago.

Crews have already repaved the sections of Louise Avenue cross streets that had to be dug up to do the work.

Funding for the repairs came from set aside from monthly sewer fees for ongoing maintenance. That means the $2.8 million project cost will not impact ratepayer charges.

By opting to line the pipes, the city also saved in excess of $200,000 over the cost of traditional trenching.


To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com