Summer Work in Preparation for Seismic Upgrade

SFPUC anticipates awarding this Seismic Upgrade Project contract within 45 days.  Once we have Commission approval, another public meeting will take place later this summer to provide you with information on the upcoming project as well as an opportunity to meet the Contractor.

           

Two relocation projects need to be completed before the Seismic Upgrade of Bay Division Pipeline Nos. 3&4 can begin. Alameda County Water District water line just completed their project. Union Sanitary District (USD) sewer pipelines cross the  Hetch Hetchy Right of Way where the Seismic Upgrade will be installed later this Fall.

Projected Timeline:

·        Summer 2012 - Union Sanitary District utility relocation and Alameda County Water District water line tie in. 

·        Fall 2012 -  Seismic Upgrade Project construction begins

·        Winter 2014 -  Expected completion of the project 

USD awarded the Sanitary Sewer Relocation Project last month to K.J. Woods Construction Inc.   Mobilization to the site is scheduled to begin early May.  The Contractor estimates project completion in August.

Here is the USD Project Area:

Starting this week, USD’s Contractor will begin mobilizing to the project site. They will install the environmental exclusion fencing around the construction site, potholing for utilities and constructing the temporary road to the project area.  

Please see below for the construction notice that was mailed out to adjacent neighbors. In addition, USD’s Contractor will issue notices to neighbors near the project site.

We will continue to update our blog as more information about this project becomes available.

Be Prepared!

In the event of an earthquake, will you have enough drinking water?

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) operates the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System, which provides high-quality drinking water to 2.6 million residents and businesses across four Bay Area counties. The SFPUC is making the investment to seismically upgrade regional water facilities, tunnels, and pipelines. However, it is important for you to know that smaller pipelines leading to your home might be damaged in an earthquake. As a result, water from your tap may be unavailable for up to 72 hours or longer.

To prepare for an emergency:

Keep a 3-day water supply just in case

·         Each family member needs 1 gallon per day

·         Store tap water in food-grade plastic containers; replace every 6 months

·         Store bottled water in the original sealed containers; replace according to expiration date.

If your supply runs out, you can treat your tap water

·         Boil it for 3 minutes, or disinfect it by adding regular household bleach

·         Add 8 drops of bleach per gallon of water

·         Shake or stir then let it stand for 30 minutes

For more tips, view our emergency preparedness website at www.sfwater.org/beprepared.

Preconstruction Work

Starting tomorrow, crews will begin digging exploratory trenches in the SFPUC Right of Way near I-680 as part of the ongoing preconstruction work for the Seismic Upgrade Project. This Project is anticipated to begin this summer and will seismically upgrade two Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System pipelines where they cross the Hayward Fault in Fremont.

For this preconstruction work, construction crews will be working near the I-680 Mission Blvd northbound on-ramp. Work is expected to continue through the end of the week. Our Environmental Monitors will be onsite while construction is in progress. Please see below for the construction notice.

You are encouraged to contact us on our 24- hour project hotline at 800-571-6610 or by email baydivision@sfwater.org.

NOTE: Construction may be delayed due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances.

Update from the Seismic Project Team

Thank you to all who attended the Open House last Wednesday. It was a great opportunity to meet representatives of the project team and the Union Sanitary District to discuss what to expect once construction begins this year. We will share more responses to neighbor’s questions in future weeks.

We will host another public meeting before the construction of the new seismically reliable pipelines begins this summer. Notices will be mailed to nearby neighbors and door hanger invitations will be distributed in advance.

Project Update:

• Preconstruction work is still ongoing on the Seismic Upgrade of two Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System pipelines where they cross the Hayward Fault in Fremont. This involves digging exploratory trenches. Residents may see crews and construction activities near the I680 Mission Blvd northbound on-ramp next week.

• Union Sanitary District will perform a major utility relocation in spring 2012. This construction work is estimated to begin mid-March and continue through July. Public notices will be mailed out and door hangers distributed as work approaches your neighborhood area.

Stay tuned! We will continue to post updates on this work on our project blog. You are encouraged to contact us on our 24 hour project hotline at 800-571-6610 or by email baydivision@sfwater.org.

NOTE: Construction may be delayed due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances.

Mark Your Calendar! January 18th Commmunity Open House

Construction begins this year on the seismic upgrade of two major water pipelines near your neighborhood. Join representatives of the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System and the Union Sanitary District for an information session on the planned upgrades of two water pipelines in Fremont.

What: Open house on the Seismic Upgrade
of Bay Division Pipeline Nos. 3 and 4

Where: Warm Springs Community Center47300 Fernald Street, Fremont

When: Wednesday, Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m.Refreshments will be provided.

Before construction begins on the seismic upgrades of the water pipelines, Union Sanitary District will relocate a sewer line at the project site at South Mission Boulevard and I-680.

Questions? Call our 24-Hour Project Information Hotline at (800) 571-6610. For construction updates, visit www.sfwater.org/SeismicUpgrade.

Para obtener información en español, por favor comuníquese con Lilia Ledezma al (650) 771-1237.

Clearing the Way for the Seismic Upgrade Project

Throughout the fall and into next year, our crews will be working to prepare the project site for construction of the seismic upgrades to major facilities nearly I-680 and Mission Boulevard.

One key step in this process is to remove vegetation and other structures from within the Right of Way to make room for construction and large machinery.

Environmental responsibility is a top priority when clearing the Right of Way of vegetation. To make sure we are complying with environmental standards, our project team has enlisted the expertise of biologists and certified arborists throughout the vegetation-removal process. All trees removed by the Seismic Upgrade and other Water System Improvement Program projects will be replaced, often in local parks and the Alameda or Peninsula watersheds.

In partnership with the City of Fremont, the Seismic Upgrade project is planting new plants in a local park to replace the vegetation removed from the construction site.

Crews have already completed work at Agua Fria Creek, near the intersection of Crawford Street and Bradley Street. Check out the photos below.

A dam was constructed to reroute and protect the creek while work was in progress.

This machine was used to lift smaller trees in the air and hold them while they were being cut down.

Larger trees were held in place by a crane to prevent them from falling. Then they were lifted in the air and moved to a clearing in the site.

WSIP and Seismic Upgrade Featured on KQED!

Quest, a KQED show, this week highlighted the Water System Improvement Program (WSIP) for our Hetch Hetchy water system. Check out Quest's video segment about the infrastructure upgrades throughout the system and especially the coverage of the Seismic Upgrade Project!

Welcome to the Seismic Upgrade Blog!

Welcome to our brand new project blog!

In August, preconstruction activities, including environmental surveying, kicked off at the project site of the Seismic Upgrade of Bay Division Pipeline Nos. 3 and 4 (BDPL3&4 Seismic). The goal of this important project is to seismically upgrade and strengthen two existing water pipelines where they cross the Hayward Fault in Fremont.

Currently, the project is in the final phases of design and is expected to go out for bid by the end of the year. The world-class engineers at Jacobs Engineering are working closely with San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) engineers to develop high-tech pipeline improvements that will allow the regional water system to withstand a major earthquake on the Hayward Fault.

The seismic upgrade of Bay Division Pipeline Nos. 3 and 4 will improve the reliability of the water system for the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System’s 2.5 million customers in the Bay Area, including Alameda County.

Advanced pipe elements like the ball joint pictured above will protect the new pipeline during a major earthquake on the Hayward Fault.

As the project progresses, we hope this blog will serve as a valuable resource for you and your neighbors. Check back frequently for construction updates, work details, traffic notices and fun facts about construction and engineering. For now, please visit our project page for more information about what to expect, and download our most recent construction notice at the bottom of this post to learn about the work currently underway.

If you have any questions or concerns, we encourage you to contact the Public Outreach Team. You can reach us by phone on our 24-Hour Project Hotline at 800-571-6610, or email us at baydivision@sfwater.org.

Thank you for your interest in the SFPUC Water System Improvement Program’s Seismic Upgrade project! We look forward to working with you and we hope you enjoy learning about this important public works project.