March 2011, Vol. 66 No. 3
Features
Sliplining In Sacramento
The city of Sacramento, CA, has been working for several decades to replace approximately 63,000 linear feet of riveted steel water transmission mains that were installed between 1870 and 1950.
To date, over 37,000 feet has been replaced, with many sections of removed pipe displaying severe corrosion, including some holes penetrating through the entire pipe wall.
One recent project involved replacing 2,500 feet of 24-inch riveted steel main constructed in 1903 in the busy downtown area. To minimize disruption, slipline installation was selected for a 1,500-foot section of the project on 6th Street, between Capitol Mall and Q Street. During the design and evaluation phase of the project, the city considered ductile iron, fusible PVC and HDPE as pipe material options for the slipline section.
The city ultimately selected 18-inch DR18 Fusible C-905 pipe for its ability to deliver a 235 psi pressure rating while providing the largest flow area per outside diameter of the evaluated pipe options. Fusible C-905 pipe also allowed the city to use standard MJ connections for fire hydrant and valve connections, eliminating the need for specific fusion skills or stocking of specialty parts for future maintenance.
Project bids were opened on Aug. 19, 2009, with Martin General Engineering, Inc. (MGE) of Rancho Cordova, CA declared the lowest responsive bidder. In March 2010, Underground Solutions, Inc. (UGSI) contracted with MGE to provide the C-905 pipe and fusion services for the project. Installation was successfully completed in late May and early June of 2010, including pressure test and reconnection.
Stu Williams, project engineer with Sacramento, said “For this project, sliplining was a good choice to minimize neighborhood disruptions. The city chose fusible PVC pipe from Underground Solutions because it’s compatible with standard fittings, is flexible, and doesn’t corrode. Underground Solutions’ staff was very helpful during design and construction.”
FOR MORE INFO:
Underground Solutions, (858) 679-9551, www.undergroundsolutions.com
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